Dominique Pelicot jailed for 20 years in landmark French mass rape trial

AVIGNON, France — A French court found Dominique Pelicot guilty on Thursday of repeatedly drugging and raping his wife for almost a decade, and inviting dozens of strangers to rape her unconscious body in a case that has horrified the world.

All the Frenchman’s 50 co-defendants were also found guilty of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault, while their victim, Gisele Pelicot, sat in the packed courtroom to hear the sentencing, having waived her right to anonymity.

Gisele, 72, has become a symbol of female courage and resilience during the three-month trial and crowds of supporters outside the courthouse in the southern city of Avignon cheered as she appeared after the verdicts had been read out.

“This trial was a very difficult ordeal,” she said in her first comments at the end of the sentencing, adding that she did not regret her decision to let the case be heard in public.

“I now have confidence in our ability to collectively seize a future in which each woman and man can live in harmony with respect and mutual understanding. I thank you,” she said.

Dominique Pelicot, who was married to Gisele for 50 years, had pleaded guilty to the charges and a panel of five judges sentenced him to the maximum 20 years in jail, as requested by prosecutors.

The court found 46 of the other defendants guilty of rape, two guilty of attempted rape and two guilty of sexual assault, handing down sentences of between three and 15 years in jail, less than the four-to-18 years demanded by the prosecution.

All the defendants have 10 days to decide whether to appeal, and Dominique Pelicot’s lawyer said he was considering this option.

“Shame on the justice system,” some of the waiting crowd chanted when they found out about the lighter-than-requested prison terms. Gisele herself told reporters that she respected the court decisions.

Many of the accused had denied the charges, saying they thought it was a consensual sex game orchestrated by the couple and arguing that it was not rape if the husband approved.

Dominique Pelicot, 72, denied misleading the men, whom he had met online, saying they knew exactly what they were doing. “I am a rapist like the others in this room,” he said during testimony.

Gisele, who is also 72, had demanded that horrifying videos of the serial abuse, which were recorded by her then husband, should be seen in court, saying she hoped this would help other women speak up.