The former Hurgeon recognizes “contempt for” in the biggest process of abuse of children in France

A former French surgeon accused of abuse of hundreds of patients, most of them children, told court that he admits he “committed contempt” and “understands and shares the suffering” caused by his alleged victims.

Joel Le Schnunek has been accused of attacking or raping 299 patients, the vast majority under 15, between 1989 and 2014, most in Brittany.

“I am fully aware that these wounds are indelible, without repair,” said Le Squarnak, with a stopping but clear voice.

The 74-year-old Belokos, who wore glasses and a black zipper sweater over a gray shirt, turned to the court in Vaness, northwestern France, on the first day of the biggest process for abuse of children in French history.

Warning: This story contains disturbing details

“I cannot go back, but I owe it to (the victims) and their relatives to recognize my actions and the consequences they have had and that they will undoubtedly continue to have throughout their lives,” Le Squarnak told the court.

Throughout the day – who was dedicated mainly to technical industries – he seemed careful, but there was no particular reaction when two apparently nervous men of the 30s took the position to identify themselves as their victims.

The most acidic of the alleged victims of Le Scouarnec is the age of 70.

Police have been able to identify them thanks to thoroughly compiled diaries stating that Le Scouarnec has registered attacks that he has committed to his young patients for more than 25 years.

He has already been closed since 2017 for the abuse of four children, of whom he was found guilty in 2020.

Many of the Plaintiffs Were Allegedly Abused While They Were Under Anaesthesia or Recovering From Surgers in Hospitals Across Northern France – Meaning A Number of Them Had No Sustained, and had to be Told by Police That Their Names appeared in Le Scouarnec’s diaries.

“Everything in this terrible story is unusual … Not the victims did not approach the investigators, but the investigators who signaled to the victims,” ​​prosecutor Stefan Kelenberger said in court.

“Many of them had no memory … A few more recently they would continue to know. But the silence had reigned too long.”

Many other people who remember that they were abused have said the effects of their events have followed their entire lives, in many cases leading to serious psychological trauma.

Maurichet Vignet, the grandmother of a patient from Le Surirnek, who committed suicide a few years ago, told the BBC that her grandson Matis was “killed” by the alleged abuse of Le Scouarnec.

“If he hadn’t happened, Matisse would still be here,” she said.

Defense lawyer Maxim Tisier told the trial on Monday that Le Surnek acknowledged the “vast majority” of the accusations against him and that his client would soon “explain” regarding the charges.

“He is a defendant, who has fully available to the court … despite his age,” said G -N -Tisier.

Le Scouarmec added to the court that during his police exams, he did his best to “acknowledge the events that represent rape and those who, in my opinion, did not.”

Dozens of lawyers also attended court, but the hundreds of alleged casualties they represent were located in a separate overflow room because of their clean number. Several psychologists and dogs for emotional support will be available throughout the process.

Aude Buresi, the Presidency Judge, read a graphically and exhausting summary of the allegations against LE Scouarnec, as well as excerpts from his interrogations in 2020, in which the former surgeon initially denied that his diaries reflects abuse in real life and were only a review of his “Fantasies”.

But D -Ja Buresey said several elements – including the level of detail and the choice of words used by Le Scouarnec – show that the diaries are most likely real.

In his brief statement before the court on Monday, the former surgeon cited his writings as “very violent”.

An hour before the production started several dozen protesters organized a rally outside the courtroom, carrying letters, writing the phrase “Stop the code of silence” while another sign reads “Who knew?”

Victims and advocacy groups said the “system failures” allow Le Scouarnec to continue working with children.

In 2005, the FBI warned the French authorities that he had access to websites for abuse of children, but that simply led to a suspended sentence and he did not face any consequences in the workplace.

Later, when Le Scouarnec worked at Quimperlé’s hospital, he claimed to have made sexually charged comments about his young patient, raising the suspicion of a colleague who signaled to the Regional Medical Association and realized them about the acquisition sentence.

The members of the Association were summoned and all but one doctor – who refrained – voted that Le Saiark had not violated the Medical Code of Ethics. BBC has addressed the Regional Medical Association for Comment

The association is now charged with Le Scouarnec for “bringing the medical profession into bad faith,” said organ secretary Didier Robin on Monday.

His statement caused a quick rebuttal by lawyer Frederick Benoist, who is a group of advocacy for the child’s La voix de l’enfant (the voice of the child) and previously told the BBC that Le Scouarne was able to commit its affairs because of “huge Degree of dysfunction “among medical specialists.

Benoist said it was “morally indecent and legal doubt” that the medical association was allowed to be named as a claimant. “It is unacceptable that (the association) has sat with the victims,” ​​he said.

The session on Monday closed early – something that is unlikely to happen again in the course of the test, which will work on a strict schedule and is about to end in June.

At the request of the plaintiffs, some sessions will be held behind closed doors – but large parts of it will be open to journalists and public members.

Former wife of Le Scouarnec and his siblings will be heard in court on Tuesday.

Asked why she is present in industries that will undoubtedly include sinister and graphic details of abuse, a woman is queued up to enter the overflow room, he told the BBC that she wanted to see “this doctor, this g -n everman “.

“I want to see what human nature can be, because all this – it’s just beyond me,” she said.