Marie-France Le Scouarnec claims she had no idea her ex-husband – with whom she has three children – was a paedophile as she gives evidence in the surgeon’s trial
The ex-wife of a man accused of being France’s worst ever paedophile claims she didn’t know about his alleged abuse.
Victims of surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec, who is accused of raping dozens of children, today accused his former wife Marie-France Le Scouarnec of covering up his ‘paedocriminal activities’ for decades. They spoke out on the second day of the trial of the French father-of-three as his wife’s evidence was read to the court.
Monstrous Joel Le Scouarnec, allegedly France’s worst ever paedophile, is on trial at the Morbihan Criminal Court, in the Brittany town of Vannes. The white-haired 74-year-old divorcee, already in custody for previous crimes, now faces charges related to sexual violence against 299 victims – 158 males and 141 females who had an average age of 11 when they were allegedly attacked in hospitals and other medical centres across France.
Le Scouarnec, the mother of their three sons, insisted she knew nothing about her ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ ex-husband’s crimes, the court heard. Ms Le Scouarnec said: ‘I wondered how I could have not noticed anything. It’s a terrible betrayal that he committed against me and my children.’
But a letter handwritten by Ms Le Scouarnec in 2010 that was also entered as evidence read: ‘I ask you to please protect my youngest son, the only one who does not know his father’s past.’ This was seven years before detectives arrested Le Scouarnec in connection with offences against minors.
The youngest was just four when repeatedly molested by Le Scouarnec, it is claimed. All of the charges are aggravated because he was a respected medic. He kept a twisted diary detailing the names, ages and types of abuse he is said to have carried out over 25 years in hospitals across northwest France. On his birthday each year, he allegedly jotted down in the journal: “I am a paedophile, and I am proud of it.”
These diaries form the backbone of the prosecution’s case. The trial, which is taking place in the Breton town of Vannes, is France’s largest ever child sexual abuse case. He was jailed for 15 years back in 2020 after being found guilty of abusing four children. During the course of the current trial, which is expected to run until June, the jury will hear from several of his now adult victims. One of the alleged victims was nine years old when her family took her into hospital to have her appendix removed. While she was under anaesthesia, he raped her.
Le Scouarnec, who admits some of the charges against him, allegedly got away with his crimes with complete impunity for 30 years because of his status. The case throws disturbing light on the lax controls France has on determined paedophiles in positions of authority.
Marie-Caroline Arrighi, a spokesman for four victims, said outside court: “She knew. Marie-France Le Scouarnec knew and protected her husband.” Referring to Ms Le Scouarnec’s denials, Ms Arrighi said: ‘Reading such comments is truly disgusting. We affirm, with supporting evidence, that this woman knew about her husband’s paedocriminal activities well before the case broke in 2017. She knowingly concealed them, allowing him to act for more than 30 years.”
Calling the couple ‘evil,’ Ms Arrighi added: “Reporting sexual crimes and offences against minors is a legal obligation.” Ms Le Scouarnec was due to give evidence in person in court on Tuesday, but was excused after claiming she had suffered an injury in a minor car accident. Instead comments made by her to investigators were read out, along with ones from her three sons.
Prosecution evidence also includes a collection of 70 life size child dolls, which Le Scouarnec is said to have used for sexual gratification. But Ms Le Scouarnec said in an interview that was presented to court by prosecutors: “I was not aware of his inclinations, his dolls. I only learned about his notebooks after his arrest,” adding: “He’s Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde. I wondered how I could have not noticed anything. It’s a terrible betrayal that he committed against me and my children.”
Ms Le Scouarnec also said her husband was ‘an ideal father with his sons. Intelligent, very intelligent, Very open, tender and gentle.’ She regretted that her domestic life had in fact been ‘sewn with lies.’ One of her sons said in an interview that Le Scouarnec was ‘an intelligent man, a little cold, who is interested in many things,’ the court heard. The Le Scouarnecs first met in 1974, when both were in their early 20s, and married soon afterwards, but they have since separated.
The trial continues, and is expected to conclude in June.
