French Surgeon Jailed for Maximum Term in Sex Abuse Case
updated may 28, 2025
A French court on Wednesday handed down the maximum 20-year prison sentence to Joel Le Scouarnec, a 74-year-old retired surgeon. Le Scouarnec admitted to sexually abusing hundreds of patients, predominantly children, over two decades. This high-profile trial has not only exposed the extent of his crimes and the suffering of his victims but also ignited a national conversation about potential systemic failures that allowed the abuse to continue for so long.
Le Scouarnec, already serving a 15-year sentence from 2020 for similar crimes against four children, including two nieces, now faces additional time for aggravated rape.Judge Aude Buresi delivered the sentence in Vannes, France.
The court’s verdict emphasized the “particular gravity” of Le Scouarnec’s actions, citing the large number of victims, their young ages, and the compulsive nature of the crimes. He will not be eligible for parole until he has served two-thirds of his sentence.
Prosecutors had requested that Le Scouarnec be held in a treatment and supervision center even after his release, but the court denied this request, acknowledging his expressed “desire to make amends.”
During the trial, which began in February, Le Scouarnec confessed to sexually assaulting or raping 299 patients between 1989 and 2014. Of these, 256 were under the age of 15. The abuse occurred in hospitals, often while patients were under anesthesia or recovering from operations. The charges included 111 rapes and 189 sexual assaults.
In a surprising moment during the proceedings, Le Scouarnec also admitted to sexually abusing his own granddaughter, though she was not among the victims listed in the case.
“This is possibly, almost certainly, the last time I will see my son, because I heard his anger and his distress,” Le Scouarnec said, addressing the court and his son. “I respect that anger, it is well-founded. Yes, I admit to having abused my granddaughter, his daughter…forgive me.”
Survivors of Le Scouarnec’s abuse protested outside the courthouse in Vannes, holding signs demanding justice and representing the 355 victims, including those whose cases were dismissed or forgotten.
Celine Mahuteau,another victim,sent a letter to President Emmanuel Macron,urging the implementation of a national policy to prevent pedophilia.
“I am not asking the court for leniency,” Le Scouarnec stated in his closing remarks. “Simply grant me the right to become a better person.”
Maxime Tessier,one of Le Scouarnec’s lawyers,asked the court to consider the “exceptional” nature of his client’s confession. Le Scouarnec also acknowledged his duty in the deaths of two victims, one from a 2021 overdose and another found dead in 2020.
Le Scouarnec meticulously documented his crimes, recording victims’ names, ages, addresses, and the details of the abuse.In his notes, he described himself as a “major pervert” and a “pedophile,” stating, “And I am very happy about it.”
Victims and child rights advocates argue that this case highlights systemic failures that allowed Le Scouarnec to repeatedly commit these sexual crimes. Despite a 2005 suspended sentence for possessing child sexual abuse material, he was not required to undergo treatment or barred from practicing medicine.
While Le Scouarnec repeatedly apologized to his victims, many questioned the sincerity of his remorse. Thomas Delaby,a lawyer representing the victims,described Le Scouarnec as an “atomic bomb of pedophilia.”
What’s next
Health Minister Yannick Neuder has pledged to collaborate with Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin to prevent similar situations in the future, emphasizing the need to protect vulnerable patients and children.