French surgeon jailed for 20 years for mass rape

A French court has sentenced retired surgeon Joel Le Scouarnec, 74, to 20 years in prison for rape and sexual abuse of 299 patients, including 256 children under the age of 15, in what is considered one of the most extensive abuse cases in modern French history.

The ruling, delivered on Wednesday by a court in Brittany, concluded a harrowing trial that revealed a decades-long pattern of abuse committed while Le Scouarnec worked at various hospitals in western France. Many of the assaults took place while patients were under anaesthesia or recovering post-surgery, between 1989 and 2014.

Le Scouarnec faced 111 counts of rape and 189 counts of sexual assault. The investigation began in 2017 after a young girl reported abuse, prompting a search of the surgeon’s home where investigators discovered detailed journals describing hundreds of attacks.

In court, Le Scouarnec admitted to committing what he called "despicable acts."

“I owe it to all these people and their loved ones to admit my actions and the consequences they’ve endured—and will continue to endure all their lives,” he said.

This case follows the recent conviction of 51 men involved in the decade-long gang rape of Gisèle Pelicot in southern France—two trials that have sent shockwaves through the country and reignited calls for systemic reform in both the medical and legal systems.

Advocacy groups have hailed the verdict as a long-overdue step toward justice, urging the government to strengthen protections for children and vulnerable individuals in institutional settings.