French ex-surgeon admits to sexually abusing 299 patients

A former surgeon in France, Joel Le Scouarnec, has on Thursday March 20, 2025, confessed to sexually abusing 299 patients, mostly underage, over several years.

Le Scouarnec, 74, has been on trial in Vannes, western France, since early March in one of the country’s biggest child abuse scandals.

He was charged with assaulting patients while under anaesthesia or waking up from operations, over a 25 year period.

The offences reportedly took place between 1989 and 2014 across multiple hospitals where he worked.

Confession in Court

During Thursday’s trial, held behind closed doors, Le Scouarnec admitted guilt on all charges.

“I have a duty to tell the truth,” he told the court.

His lawyer, Maxime Tessier, confirmed that the accused fully accepted responsibility for all 299 victims.

“I asked him if he agreed that all names in his notebooks were victims of his acts, and he said, ‘Yes’,” Tessier said.

“I also asked if the 299 charges were criminal offences, and he admitted, ‘Yes’,” the lawyer added.

Long-Running Abuse Uncovered

Le Scouarnec’s crimes came to light after investigators found detailed records of his abuse in personal notebooks.

He had previously denied many allegations, insisting he was only performing his medical duties.

Most victims were abused while unconscious, either under anaesthesia or waking up after surgery.

Victims’Lawyers React

Frederique Giffard, a lawyer representing 15 victims, said the confession was significant.

“Admission is a crucial step in allowing victims to move on,” she said.

She noted that after hearing victims testify for 10 days, Le Scouarnec realized he could no longer deny the facts.

Previous Convictions Ignored

Despite being convicted in 2005 for possessing child pornography, Le Scouarnec was never investigated for further offences.

In 2020, he was convicted of sexually abusing four children, including two of his nieces.

He continued working as a surgeon until 2017, after which a six-year-old victim accused him of rape.

This led police to uncover diary entries detailing years of abuse.

Awaiting Judgment

With his full confession recorded, the court is set to deliver judgment in the coming weeks.

The case has sparked public outrage in France, raising concerns over how he was able to continue working for so long.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook