Marie-France Lhermite, the ex-wife of former surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec, testified in court that she was unaware of her husband’s extensive history of sexually abusing children until his arrest in 2017. Le Scouarnec is accused of raping or sexually assaulting 299 victims over nearly 30 years, most of them children under 15. While prosecutors and his lawyer have stated that Le Scouarnec has admitted to the majority of the charges, not all have been confessed.
During the trial, Lhermite denied having knowledge of the abuse, despite being asked about specific instances by the presiding judge. She also denied being the woman mentioned in her husband’s writings that alluded to her knowing he was a pedophile. The testimony also focused on the allegations of abuse against nieces in the 1980s, to which Lhermite stated she was unaware.
The trial also heard statements from Le Scouarnec’s brother, Patrick, who claimed that Lhermite knew about the abuse as early as 1996. He expressed his belief that his brother should be imprisoned for life. Other family members, including Le Scouarnec’s sons, Fabien and Florian, also testified about their experiences of abuse within the family.
The trial is expected to last four months, and if convicted, Le Scouarnec could face up to 20 years in prison concurrently with his existing 15-year sentence. The case has highlighted the extensive intergenerational abuse within the family, including allegations against Le Scouarnec’s father and the impact it has had on the entire family.
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