Trial against a French pensioner, accused of drugging his ex-wife for nearly 10 years and allowing strangers to rape her in their home, began today in Avignon, reported AFP.
The victim's ex-husband and 50 accomplices will be held responsible for the rare affair. Some of them may receive sentences of up to 20 years.
72-year-old Giselle P. arrived in court surrounded by her lawyers and three children. She intends to face her abusers, aged between 26 and 74.
Her husband, 71-year-old Dominic P., did not want the perpetrators to pay him for the opportunity to rape his wife. His lawyer, Beatrice Savaro, said he was ashamed of his actions and described them as "unforgivable".
Before the start of the trial, fifteen feminists protested in front of the courthouse.
The perpetrators come from a variety of backgrounds, including a firefighter, a craftsman, a paramedic, a prison guard and a journalist. Some are single, others are married or divorced - their profiles differ, notes AFP. Most of them visited the couple's home once, some more than once. According to experts, they do not suffer from mental disorders.
Many of them claim they thought they were just participating in the fantasies of a debauched couple. But according to Dominic P, the prime suspect, "everyone knew" that his wife was drugged. According to the indictment, they all had the opportunity to make free choices, including "leaving the place".
A total of 92 cases of rape have been reported since 2011, when the couple was still living in the Paris area. However, most date from 2013-2020, when they moved to Mazan, a town of 6,000 in southern France. In each case, the former employee of the French electricity company gave his wife a powerful anti-anxiety drug. The men followed strict rules so as not to wake the sleeping woman - no perfume, no smell of cigarettes and to warm their hands by soaking them in warm water.
The ex-wife knew nothing and learned everything at the age of 68, after nearly 50 years of living together with Dominic P., in an investigation that began in the fall of 2020. This happened after the husband she was unexpectedly caught in a mall while taking pictures up women's skirts.
In searching his computer, investigators found numerous photos and videos of his visibly drugged wife being raped by strangers. She herself has no memories of what happened.
Her ex-husband is also charged in two other cases - a murder and rape in Paris in 1991, which he denies, and an attempted rape in Saint-Es-Marne, east of Paris, in 1999. He pleaded guilty in this case after being confronted with the DNA evidence presented.