French surgeon faces trial over decades of abuse against patients, including children

A former French surgeon is facing trial over allegations of sexually abusing 299 individuals, most of them children, while they were under anesthesia or recovering from surgery. The accused, Joël Le Scouarnec, 74, admitted in court to committing “hideous acts” and expressed willingness to take responsibility for his crimes.

A Shocking Case of Medical Abuse

Le Scouarnec is accused of sexually assaulting or raping his victims during his 30-year medical career. The average age of the victims was 11, and many remained unaware of the abuse until police contacted them after finding their names in the surgeon’s personal notebooks.

During the first day of his trial in Vannes, he acknowledged his actions, stating that he was “fully aware that these wounds cannot be erased or healed.” His statements marked the beginning of what is expected to be a lengthy and emotionally charged legal process.

Authorities began investigating Le Scouarnec in 2017 after reports from neighbors in Jonzac, near Bordeaux. This led to his arrest and subsequent conviction in 2020 for the rape and sexual assault of four children, including a young hospital patient. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison and has remained incarcerated since.

A search of his home revealed disturbing evidence, including hard drives containing more than 300,000 images and videos related to child sexual abuse. Investigators also found meticulously kept notebooks in which Le Scouarnec allegedly documented the abuse of patients, as well as a collection of dolls, some of them lifesize, hidden beneath the floorboards.

One chilling note reportedly stated: “I am a paedophile, and I always will be.”

The case has raised serious questions about how Le Scouarnec was able to continue working with children despite previous legal troubles. In 2005, he had been convicted and given a four-month suspended sentence for possessing child sexual abuse images. However, no further action was taken against him.

At the time, both his employers and L’Ordre des Médecins (the professional regulatory body for doctors in France) were informed of his conviction. The French Ministry of Health was also made aware. Despite this, he was allowed to continue practicing medicine, enabling him to abuse patients for nearly another decade.

This failure to act has sparked outrage among victims and advocacy groups. Some argue that his crimes could have been prevented had authorities intervened earlier.

The Legal Battle and Victims’ Testimonies

The trial, expected to last four months, will examine not only Le Scouarnec’s actions but also the systemic failures that allowed him to continue his medical career despite clear warning signs. More than 60 lawyers are representing the victims and their families, who will begin testifying in the coming weeks.

Out of the 299 individuals involved in the case, 256 were under the age of 15 at the time of the abuse. The youngest victim was only one year old, while the oldest was 70.

One of the victims, identified as Marie, expressed the pain and trauma shared by many survivors: “I want all our trauma to be recognized. They can tell us that it’s in our heads, but it’s been there for years, even before we knew what he did to us.”

Le Scouarnec’s former wife and three children are expected to testify, as well as other members of his family. His lawyer, Maxime Tessier, stated that the accused has admitted to the “vast majority” of the charges.

The case has not only devastated victims and their families but also cast a shadow over the medical profession in France. L’Ordre des Médecins has been named in the case, a move that has sparked controversy. Critics argue that the regulatory body failed to act in the best interest of patients when it did not intervene following Le Scouarnec’s 2005 conviction.

Frédéric Benoist, a lawyer representing La Voix de L’Enfant (Child’s Voice), a child protection organization, called it “scandalous” that the order was included in the case alongside the victims. However, Negar Haeri, a lawyer representing the professional body, insisted that they were defending the integrity of the medical profession, which had been severely damaged by Le Scouarnec’s crimes.

The trial marks a crucial moment for the victims and their families, many of whom have lived with the trauma of abuse for years. While no legal decision can undo the suffering endured, the proceedings offer an opportunity for justice to be served and for institutions to be held accountable for their negligence.

The outcome of this case could also lead to reforms in how medical professionals with criminal records are monitored, preventing similar tragedies in the future.

For now, survivors continue to share their painful stories, hoping that their voices will not only be heard but will also lead to meaningful change.