The Avignon Court Case: "I Am a Sexual Predator"
In France, an elderly man named Dominique Pelicot, who is 71 years old, has confessed to allowing numerous individuals to sexually assault his wife over the years. This confession was made during the first time he addressed the court in the trial against him, which has been postponed several times due to health concerns.
During his court appearance in Avignon, Pelicot acknowledged his role as a perpetrator, stating, "I'm just as much of a rapist as everyone else in this room." His co-defendants numbered around 50 individuals.
Pelicot admitted that everyone involved was aware of the situation. His wife, Gisele, allegedly did not deserve such treatment, according to him. This was the first occasion where the defendant was expected to address the court about the crimes in question. Multiple requests for him to testify had been postponed due to health issues.
The presiding judge had ordered several medical examinations and even considered delaying the trial. Pelicot's health concerns included a kidney infection, as per the court. Although deemed fit for trial, he was provided with an armchair instead of a regular chair and was allowed to take frequent breaks to rest.
Memory loss and gynecological issues
Gisele Pelicot detailed her experiences in court last week, explaining how she dealt with unexplained memory lapses and gynecological problems for a prolonged period before uncovering her husband's abuse.
These issues arose when Dominique Pelicot found himself under scrutiny from the justice system due to another offense. During their investigation, authorities discovered around 4,000 photos and videos of Gisele, in an obviously unconscious state, being sexually assaulted.
Pelicot's confession in court implicated him as a direct participant in acts of rape, as he admitted to allowing multiple individuals to sexually assault his wife. The discovery of thousands of photos and videos of his wife being assaulted in a clearly unconscious state further underscores the gravity of the rape allegations against him.
