AFP: Joel Le Scouarnec, a former French surgeon accused of abusing hundreds of patients, including children, admitted to committing “despicable acts” and expressed remorse for the suffering he caused his alleged victims. Le Scouarnec faces charges of assaulting or raping 299 patients, mostly under 15 years old, between 1989 and 2014 in Brittany. The 74-year-old, wearing glasses and a black zip-up sweater, addressed the court in Vannes, France, during the largest child abuse trial in French history. He acknowledged the indelible wounds he inflicted and expressed regret for his actions. Le Scouarnec has been in prison since 2017 for abusing four children and has admitted to most of the charges against him. The victims, identified through his diaries, include individuals who were allegedly abused while under anaesthesia or recovering from surgeries. The trial also highlighted systemic failures that allowed Le Scouarnec to continue working with children despite warnings and allegations of inappropriate behavior. The proceedings, attended by numerous lawyers and alleged victims, are expected to be emotionally challenging, with psychologists and emotional support dogs available to provide assistance. Sesi Senin ditutup lebih awal – sesuatu yang tidak mungkin terjadi lagi selama persidangan, yang akan berjalan dengan jadwal ketat dan dijadwalkan berakhir pada bulan Juni.
Pada permintaan para penggugat, beberapa sesi akan diselenggarakan di belakang pintu tertutup – tetapi sebagian besar akan terbuka untuk wartawan dan masyarakat.
Mantan istri Le Scouarnec dan saudara-saudaranya akan didengar di pengadilan pada hari Selasa.
Ditanya mengapa dia menghadiri persidangan yang pasti akan mencakup detail pelecehan yang menjijikkan dan grafis, seorang wanita yang mengantri untuk masuk ke ruang tambahan mengatakan kepada BBC bahwa dia ingin melihat “dokter ini, Bapak Semua Orang”.
“Saya ingin melihat apa yang manusia bisa lakukan, karena semua ini – itu sungguh di luar pemahaman saya,” katanya.