Joel Le Scouarnec, a 74-year-old surgeon, stands trial for allegedly sexually abusing 299 people, mainly children, during his 30-year career. He admitted to committing atrocious acts, acknowledging that his actions have left deep scars that cannot heal. The abuse reportedly occurred between 1989 and 2014 at numerous hospitals across Brittany and western France. His previous conviction for rape of four minors and the discovery of extensive evidence at his home, including detailed notebooks, underline the severity of the case, which is expected to take four months to conclude.
I've done hideous things, the 74-year-old told a court in Vannes on Monday, the opening day of his trial. He said he was perfectly aware that these wounds cannot be erased or healed and he was ready to take responsibility for his actions.
When detectives searched his home they found hard disks containing more than 300,000 photos and videos featuring child sexual abuse under a mattress, as well as notebooks recording details of the alleged abuse of patients.
In one note, Le Scouarnec is alleged to have written: I am a paedophile and I always will be. The trial, which is expected to last four months, will also focus on how Le Scouarnec was allowed to continue operating on children despite having been convicted and given a sentence.
The abuse is alleged to have taken place between 1989 and 2014 when Le Scouarnec worked at more than a dozen private and public hospitals in Brittany and western France.
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