I’ll provide a detailed overview of Joël Le Scouarnec, the former French surgeon currently on trial, based on the latest available information as of February 25, 2025.

Joël Le Scouarnec, now 74 years old, is a retired gastrointestinal surgeon facing trial in Vannes, Morbihan, Brittany, France, which began on February 24, 2025, and is expected to last four months. This is considered France’s largest child abuse case to date, with Le Scouarnec accused of raping or sexually assaulting 299 victims, primarily minors, between 1989 and 2014. The majority of these alleged crimes occurred while he worked in various hospitals across Brittany and western France, often targeting patients under his care—many of whom were children, with an average age of 11 at the time of the offenses. The victim count includes 158 males and 141 females, with ages ranging from as young as one to as old as 70, though most were under 15.

The case surfaced in 2017 when a six-year-old neighbor in Jonzac reported that Le Scouarnec had exposed himself and molested her over a fence, prompting his arrest. A police search of his home uncovered over 300,000 images, including child abuse material, along with child-sized sex dolls and meticulously kept notebooks. These diaries, spanning decades, allegedly chronicle his acts, naming victims and describing assaults in graphic detail—sometimes portraying them as “fantasies,” though he has written “I am a pedophile” multiple times. Investigators believe these records reflect real events, supported by their specificity and corroboration from some victims’ memories.

Le Scouarnec’s alleged modus operandi involved exploiting his position as a surgeon. Many assaults reportedly occurred in operating rooms or recovery areas, often while patients were under anesthesia or sedated, leaving them unaware of the abuse at the time. Others recall inappropriate touching disguised as medical exams, sometimes in the presence of parents or staff. The scale of the case grew as police contacted individuals named in his diaries, many of whom were shocked to learn they were victims, having no prior recollection due to their medical state during the incidents.

Before this trial, Le Scouarnec had a criminal history. In 2005, he received a four-month suspended sentence after the FBI alerted French authorities to his online activity involving child abuse imagery. Despite this, he continued working in hospitals, including a promotion to head of surgery at Quimperlé in 2008, raising questions about institutional oversight. In 2020, he was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting four minors—two nieces, a neighbor’s child, and a four-year-old patient—earning a 15-year prison sentence he is currently serving. The current trial expands on these earlier charges, addressing the broader scope of his alleged crimes.

At the trial’s opening, Le Scouarnec admitted to committing “despicable” and “hideous” acts, acknowledging the indelible harm to victims. His lawyer, Maxime Tessier, stated he accepts responsibility for the “vast majority” of the charges—over 100 counts of rape and 150 of sexual assault—though he claims not to recall every incident individually. He faces up to 20 additional years in prison, though under French law, sentences run concurrently, not consecutively, meaning his total time served won’t exceed the longest single term.

The trial has sparked outrage over systemic failures. Despite warnings from colleagues—like psychiatrist Thierry Bonvalot, who flagged his behavior in 2005—and his prior conviction, Le Scouarnec retained access to vulnerable patients. Protesters outside the courthouse have demanded accountability, with signs like “Stop the code of silence” and “Who knew?” Victims and advocates argue his status as a respected surgeon shielded him, while a separate probe investigates potential negligence by health authorities and hospitals.

The emotional toll on victims is profound. Some, like Amélie Lévêque, now 42, recall his cruelty post-surgery, while others linked lifelong trauma—depression, anorexia, or suicide—to his actions only after police contact. For instance, Mauricette Vinet believes her grandson Mathis, abused at 10, died of an overdose in 2021 due to the lingering effects. The trial, costing millions and held partly behind closed doors for minors’ testimony, is seen as a reckoning for France’s handling of sexual abuse, following the high-profile Pelicot case.

If you’d like deeper details on any aspect—legal proceedings, victim testimonies, or systemic issues—let me know!