French court finds Gisèle Pelicot’s ex-husband guilty of rapes

A French court has found the ex-husband of Gisèle Pelicot guilty of aggravated rapes and all other charges against him in the historic mass rape trial that has shocked the nation.

The Thursday verdict for Dominique Pelicot, 72, was read out in the court in the southern town of Avignon. He faces up to 20 years behind bars although his sentence is yet to be delivered, The Associated Press reported.

In her high-profile case, Pelicot, also 72, brought to light abuse led by her then husband, who, in the face of sweeping evidence against him, pleaded guilty to drugging her and inviting dozens of men to rape her while she was unconscious over the span of years.

A total of 51 men, including Dominique Pelicot, have been charged with raping and sexually assaulting Pelicot over the span of a decade until 2020. They ranged from 26 to 74 in age and all of them face the same 20-year sentence.

Around 15 have admitted to the facts, although only a handful of the men accused expressing remorse in the case.

The judges were delivering verdicts on the cases of other men involved in the trial and accused of raping Pelicot while she lay unconscious. Around 15 have admitted to the facts, with only a handful of the accused expressing remorse in the case.

Pelicot listened on in the courtroom as her ex-husband’s verdict was read out, with a number of other defendants also present in the room, surrounded by police officers.  

With emotions expected to run high, some 200 police officers were expected to be deployed in and around the courthouse, packed with family members of the accused, spectators and journalists from around the world. More than 150 journalists were accredited to cover the trial, which many activists see as a watershed moment for women’s rights in France.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.