Dominique Pélicot, a 71-year-old French man accused of orchestrating the rape of his drugged wife by strangers, has been hospitalised, potentially delaying his trial.
Pélicot, who is charged with repeatedly raping his wife and enlisting dozens of men to do the same between 2011 and 2020, was admitted to the hospital after experiencing abdominal pain, according to his lawyer, Béatrice Zavarro.
The trial, which has horrified France, could be adjourned as a result. Pélicot has admitted to the charges, and fifty other men, aged between 26 and 74, are also on trial for their involvement, according to a report by The Guardian.
On Tuesday, Zavarro informed the court that it would make “no sense to continue without him being present.” The presiding judge, Roger Arata, has ordered that Pélicot be examined to determine whether the trial should be suspended until his condition improves.
Zavarro emphasised that her client was not attempting to evade the trial, stating, “Mr Pélicot will not evade his trial. He will be there, he will respond to all questions.” She added that Pélicot’s pain began last Friday, as reported by The Guardian.
Experts have described Pélicot as a manipulative individual with no empathy and a split personality. His ex-wife, Gisèle Pélicot, 71, began to suspect something was amiss after experiencing strange memory lapses for years.
Police uncovered the abuse by chance when they caught Dominique Pélicot filming up women’s skirts at a local supermarket.
Pelicot, testified in court last week, revealing that beneath her composed exterior lies a profound sense of trauma and devastation. This stems from a shocking revelation four years ago, when a French police officer informed her that her husband, whom she thought was loving, had been secretly drugging her for ten years.
He had also been inviting over 80 local men into their home and bedroom to sexually assault her, all while filming the horrific acts, as reported by BBC.
The trial, which is open to the public at Gisèle’s request, aims to raise awareness about the use of drugs in sexual assaults. She and her children have stated they do not wish to testify unless Pélicot is present.
Their attorney, Stéphane Babonneau, said it was “absolutely necessary that Mr Pélicot be treated medically and be able to attend the debates.”
Most of the alleged assaults occurred at the couple’s home in Mazan, a small village in southern France. Pélicot kept detailed records of the abuse, which were discovered by police on his computer.
An investigator testified that all of the accused men must have known that Gisèle was unconscious during the assaults, as the audio and video footage clearly indicated she was in a deep sleep.
Out of the 51 accused, 18, including Pélicot, are in custody, while the others remain free during the trial. One defendant remains at large and is being judged in absentia.
Among the co-defendants is Mathieu D, who told police he believed the abuse was part of a “sexual game,” although he admitted he was aware Pélicot intended to sedate his wife.
The Pélicots’ daughter, Caroline Darian, 45, described how her life was “literally turned upside down” upon learning of the abuse. Disturbing images of her were also found on her father’s computer. The couple’s two sons are expected to testify during the trial.
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