A 74-year-old former surgeon, who raped hundreds of victims over a period spanning more than two decades, has been sentenced to the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison by a French court.
Joël Le Scouarnec was today found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting 299 children.
Le Scouarnec is already serving a 15-year prison sentence, for a conviction in 2020 for the rape and sexual assault of four children, including two nieces.
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The new trial in Brittany, western France, began in February and laid bare a pattern of abuse between 1989 and 2014.
Most of the victims were unconscious or sedated hospital patients at the time of the assaults. The average age was 11. Among the victims were 158 boys and 141 girls.
More to come.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
