In a historic ruling, a French court has sentenced retired surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec to the maximum 20 years in prison after he confessed to sexually abusing 299 individuals, most of them children, over a span of more than two decades.
The case, considered the largest of its kind in France, has highlighted systemic failures in healthcare and judicial oversight.
Le Scouarnec, now 74, admitted during a three-month trial in Vannes, Brittany, to committing the abuse between 1989 and 2014 while working at nine hospitals and clinics across western and central France. The victims were primarily young patients — the average age was 11 — many of whom were sedated or recovering from surgery at the time of the abuse.
Judge Aude Buresi, who delivered the sentence, described the abuse as targeting “the most vulnerable,” and ruled that Le Scouarnec must serve at least two-thirds of the sentence before parole can be considered. He has also been permanently barred from practicing medicine or having contact with minors.
The court’s decision follows a prior conviction in 2020, when Le Scouarnec was sentenced to 15 years for raping a child neighbor and three other minors. His new sentence will run concurrently with the existing one. Prosecutors also requested that he be placed in a treatment center after release, though it remains unclear whether the court granted this.
Police discovered the extent of Le Scouarnec’s crimes in 2017 after he was reported by neighbors for inappropriate behavior. A subsequent search of his home revealed extensive documentation of abuse, including diaries and spreadsheets detailing victims’ names, ages, and the nature of the assaults. The material helped identify hundreds of cases, many of which the victims themselves did not remember due to sedation or their age at the time.
Some of the abuse dates back to the early 1980s, but France’s statute of limitations prevented prosecution in those cases. Despite earlier red flags — including a 2005 conviction for possession of child sexual abuse material — Le Scouarnec continued working in pediatric and general surgery until his arrest. The case has raised serious questions about how such behavior could go unaddressed for decades, with calls for reform from both political figures and advocacy groups.
During the trial, many victims testified about the emotional toll of discovering they had been abused, often decades later and without memory of the events. Several said they received insufficient psychological support and criticized the lack of institutional response to their cases. A number of victims described long-term impacts on their mental health, personal relationships, and trust in medical professionals.
Some victims have since formed a collective to seek justice and advocate for greater protection of children in medical settings. Public demonstrations outside the courthouse reflected broader concern over the need for stronger safeguards, better reporting mechanisms, and a national strategy to prevent such abuse.
Le Scouarnec expressed remorse during the trial, stating that he was not seeking leniency but rather the chance to become a “better person.” However, several victims questioned the sincerity of his apologies, noting his flat affect and lack of personal recognition of those he had harmed.
The case has become part of a broader reckoning in France over sexual abuse and institutional accountability. Officials, including Health Minister Yannick Neuder, have pledged to take action to prevent similar failures in the future.
As the trial concluded, victims and their families expressed a mix of relief, sorrow, and continued frustration.
With input from NBC News, CBS News, the New York Times, and the Washington Post.
