Gisèle Pelicot’s ex-husband found guilty in mass rape trial and sentenced to 20 years in prison

The man accused of drugging his then-wife for nearly a decade and inviting dozens of men to rape her has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

On Thursday, December 19, a jury in Avignon, France, found 72-year-old Dominique Pélicot guilty of aggravated rape of his then-wife Gisèle Pélicot, also 72, according to the BBC.

Dominique was also found guilty of attempted aggravated rape of the wife of one of the other defendants – Jean-Pierre Marechal – by taking indecent photographs of his daughter Caroline Durain and his daughters-in-law Aurore and Celine, according to an outlet.

The outlet reported that Dominique cried as the judge read the verdicts in court. Gisèle and her children, including daughter Caroline, were present in court when the verdict was announced.

In September, Dominique confessed to his crimes in court, admitting: “I am a rapist,” the BBC reported.

He was on trial along with 50 other men aged between 26 and 74. These 50, along with Dominique, were also sentenced after being found guilty of crimes including aggravated rape, sexual assault and depicting child abuse. Among them was Marechal, who, according to the BBC, was found guilty of attempted and aggravated rape of his wife and drug taking.

According to a British newspaper, retired electrician and real estate agent Dominique said he drugged Gisèle for almost a decade, from 2011 to 2020, and filmed the rapes The times.

He told the court he regularly added drugs to his wife’s food, including her favorite dessert – raspberry ice cream The Telegraph.

“I always said to him: ‘How lucky I am, you’re a darling, you really care about me,'” Gisèle previously said in court, the BBC reported.

Dominique was arrested in December 2020 after police confiscated his electronic devices while he was under investigation for filming three women’s skirts, prosecutors previously said.

Gisèle had no idea about the rapes until police told her about them after discovering thousands of photos and videos taken by her husband, who documented the abuse after recruiting strangers online. The New York Times reported, citing the investigative judge’s report.

“I have lost ten years of my life that I will never make up for,” she told the court The Guardian. “This scar will never heal,” she said, adding that she would never find “peace” about the ordeal and that the 50 men had “tarnished” her.

“I have seen people who deny rape and some who admit it. I want to say to these men: When you entered this bedroom, when did Madame Pelicot give you her consent?” she said, speaking about herself in the third person, according to her statement The Guardian.

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“When did you become aware of this lifeless body? When did you not report him to the police?” she continued.

On Tuesday, November 19, the court heard a 2020 police statement from Dominque in which he said he “facilitated the rapes” and admitted that “between 30 and 50 people” came to her house, ” to have sex with my wife”. according to BBC.

The day before, the couple’s three children appeared in court and described their “devastation” after learning what their father had done, it is said The Guardian.

Dominique asked the couple’s eldest son, David Pelicot, 50, for forgiveness, but he replied: “Never.” The Guardian reported.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.