Trial of Surgeon Joel Le Scouarnec Begins Amid Allegations of Widespread Child Abuse

Trial of Surgeon Joel Le Scouarnec Begins Amid Allegations of Widespread Child Abuse

Joel Le Scouarnec, a surgeon accused of horrific sexual abuse against children in France, is set to stand trial on February 24 in Vannes, Brittany. This case is being described as one of the most significant sexual abuse trials in French legal history.

For over 11 years, Le Scouarnec kept detailed confessional logs at his home, documenting acts of sexual abuse against at least 299 boys and girls over a span of more than 30 years. In these records, he graphically described his actions and referred to himself as a "paedophile."

While Le Scouarnec has denied some of the assaults and rapes detailed in his logs, claiming they were merely "fantasies," the allegations are particularly alarming. Many victims are reported to have been molested while still under anaesthetic after surgeries performed at various hospitals across France. The average age of the alleged victims was 11, with the youngest being just four years old.

In his diary entries, which include both handwritten journals and digital files, Le Scouarnec meticulously documented each instance of abuse, including the names of the children, dates, and locations of the incidents. The trial is expected to reveal more about the extent of his actions and the systemic failures that allowed them to occur