A French court has sentenced 74-year-old medical expert Joël Le Scouarnec to 20 years in prison for the rape and sexual assault of nearly 300 children over a span of 25 years, from 1989 to 2014.
Le Scouarnec, a former surgeon, admitted to all charges, revealing that he sedated his victims most of whom were minors before committing the assaults. The crimes came to light after previous convictions for similar offenses, including the abuse of relatives.
During the trial, Le Scouarnec expressed remorse and said he wanted to “restore his humanity” by accepting full responsibility. However, his decades-long abuse has reignited criticism of institutional failures in France, particularly the apparent neglect by authorities despite early warning signs and multiple opportunities to intervene.
This case is one of France’s most shocking medical abuse scandals in recent history and follows another deeply disturbing case involving Mr. Pelicot, a man accused of hiring more than 70 individuals to assault his wife while she was under sedation.
Both cases have fueled ongoing public outrage and raised urgent questions about safeguarding systems, medical oversight, and justice for survivors of long-concealed abuse.
