France's Largest Child Abuse Trial Unveils Decades Of Horror
The staggering numbers behind France’s largest child abuse trial have shocked the nation: 299 alleged victims, 10 hospitals and clinics, and 25 years of abuse—committed by a single doctor, prosecutors say.
On Monday, the trial of retired gastrointestinal surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec began in Morbihan, Brittany, marking what many hope will be a turning point in France’s reckoning with institutional child abuse.
A Legacy of Abuse
From 1986 to 2014, Le Scouarnec, now 74 and already serving a 15-year sentence for prior child rape and abuse convictions, allegedly preyed on patients as young as two years old. Court documents accuse him of committing sexual abuse, including rape, across medical institutions in the Brittany region. Shockingly, he continued working in both public and private hospitals despite a 2005 conviction for possession of child abuse imagery.
Le Scouarnec reportedly admitted to investigators that he “did not remember the assaults individually” but acknowledged engaging in sexual touching and penetrations, particularly targeting children.
Beyond the hospital setting, he was convicted in 2020 of abusing his nieces and a neighbor. More than a dozen additional victims attempted to join the current case, but French law barred them due to the 30-year statute of limitations.
A Nation Watching
The trial, expected to last four months, has gripped national attention, coming just weeks after another high-profile mass rape and drugging case rocked the country. Victim Gisele Pelicot has become a symbol of the movement demanding accountability for sexual abuse.
“There is no more room for silence,” said Francesca Satta, an attorney representing several alleged victims. “This trial is about shifting the shame from survivors to perpetrators.”
The oldest alleged victims are now nearing 50, while the youngest is just 17.
Chilling Evidence: A House of Horrors
Due to the trial’s scale, a university lecture hall has been converted into a courtroom to accommodate 400 people, including victims, families, lawyers, and media.
This is not Le Scouarnec’s first time facing child abuse charges. In 2005, he was convicted of possessing child abuse imagery after being flagged by the FBI for joining a pedophile-sharing website. His sentence? A mere four-month suspension.
His 2020 conviction for the rape of a minor and possession of child abuse imagery earned him 15 years in prison. Disturbingly, authorities discovered his diaries and approximately 70 child-sized dolls in his home and hospital office, which he allegedly named, dressed, and used for sexual gratification.
“He showed no empathy, no emotion—he saw children as sexual objects,” Satta stated.
Ignored Warnings
Le Scouarnec’s status as a respected surgeon likely shielded him from suspicion. Yet, at least three doctors raised concerns about his behavior. Psychiatrist Thierry Bonvalot, who worked with him in Brittany, confronted him after his 2005 conviction.
“I told him he was dangerous and had no place in a hospital. I asked him to resign,” Bonvalot recalled. “He put his head in his hands and said, ‘You can’t make me.’”
The Diaries: A Record of Horror
Central to the case is Le Scouarnec’s own handwritten journals, which prosecutors argue document real assaults. His defense, however, insists they are mere fantasies.
The diaries, dating from 1990 to 2016, contain meticulous records—names, times, locations, and explicit descriptions of abuse, often disguised as medical examinations. Some entries addressed victims directly: “Little Marie, you were once again alone in your room,” one chilling passage reads, concluding disturbingly with, “I love you.”
Though Le Scouarnec does not deny writing the diaries, he claims he does not recall the specific incidents described.
Survivors' Lifelong Trauma
Many victims were under sedation during the alleged abuse, but the trauma has left deep scars. Court documents cite lasting psychological effects, including depression, eating disorders, sexual dysfunction, and even suicides linked to the abuse.
“We have victims suffering immensely—people who can’t have children, can’t maintain relationships, and some who have taken their own lives,” said Satta. Among her clients are families of two men who died by suicide after years of struggling with their abuse.
How Did He Get Away With It?
With nearly 80 cases excluded due to the statute of limitations, many are questioning how Le Scouarnec was able to operate unchecked for decades.
As France grapples with this horrifying case, one pressing question remains: How did a predator go unnoticed for so long in a system meant to heal and protect?
CNN has reached out to the hospitals involved and French health authorities for comment.
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