Overview
- Defense and prosecution delivered their final arguments on May 26 in Vannes following a three-month trial against former surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec.
- The public prosecutor requested the maximum 20 years of imprisonment plus safety measures including post-release detention and a lifetime ban from medical practice.
- Le Scouarnec, 74, admitted to most of the 299 charges on March 20 and his lawyers have argued that his full recognition of guilt and personal evolution merit a reduced sentence.
- Victims and expert witnesses exposed systemic oversights in hospital hiring and judicial follow-up that allowed the abuse to continue unchecked for decades.
- Advocates have criticized the trial’s low media and political visibility and are calling for urgent reforms to safeguard children against sexual violence.