A soldier, a firefighter and a nurse are among those who sickeningly raped Gisèle Pélicot in her own home while unconscious.
A total of 51 men were involved in the disturbing rape trial that has horrified the world. Gisèle, 72, was drugged by her own husband and raped 92 times by strangers he invited into their bedroom between 2011 and 2020. The mother-of-three was unknowingly sedated and sexually abused dozens of times at their family home in Mazan, a commune in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France.
Her former husband of 50 years, Dominique Pélicot, 71, has today been jailed for 20 years. The rapist lead a sick campaign of abuse against his wife, running an online chatroom titled ‘without her knowledge’ where he would advertise for men to perform vile sexual acts on his unwitting wife. Several of these men returned to abuse her unresponsive body again and again. And yet, not one of them attempted to check if Gisèle had consented. Now their depravity has been exposed in court.
The men charged were described in court as good fathers and loving husbands, with psychological experts finding no personality disorders, particular deficiencies or psychological pathologies. A handful of the men have prior convictions for sexual abuse, child pornography and domestic violence, but otherwise, they were ordinary men who performed unfathomable acts.
A total of 50 accomplices were found guilty on charges including aggravated rape and sexual assault, with sentences ranging between 13 and five years (with two suspended) in prison. The men came from all walks of life, including civil servants, ambulance workers, soldiers, prison guards, nurses, truck drivers, a journalist, a DJ and a municipal councillor. Many of them are fathers and husbands, and some have partners standing by them.
Joan Kawai, 26, soldier
The youngest man involved, called Joan Kawai, was 22 when he raped Gisèle on two separate visits in 2019 and 2020. Joan, 26, was a soldier in the French military. He told the court: “I’m a rapist because the law says I am”, but said he had not intended to rape and “at the time I did not know what consent was”, until he went to prison. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to 10 years.
Charly Arbo, 30, vineyard worker
A young vineyard worker, called Charly Arbo, 30, raped Gisèle on six occasions over four years. He was 22 years old when he raped her for the first time. Video footage showed Arbo discussing with Pélicot a plan to drug and rape his mother in the same way. Both men told the court this conversation took place but said they did not rape Arbo’s mother. Arbo has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to 13 years.
Adrien Longeron, 34, building site manager
A former building site manager, who has previously been convicted of raping three former partners and is serving a 14-year jail sentence, denied raping Gisèle in March 2014. He said he had thought he was taking part in a game. Adrien Longeron, who was aged 23 at the time, was described as coming from a wealthier background than the other men and admitted to having a “hatred towards women”. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and child abuse imagery, and sentenced to six years.
Hughes Malago, 39, tiler
A father-of-two who worked as a tiler denied knowing Gisèle was drugged and chillingly claimed he had not looked at her face, just her body. Hughes Malago, 39, raped Gisèle a few days before his then-girlfriend’s birthday in October 2019. His ex, Emilie O, told the court they had met online and lived together for five years, and she feared he may have drugged and sexually assaulted her.
She said: “I don’t know if I was raped. It’s terrible. I will always have doubts.” She said she had woken up one night around the same time to find Hugues attempting to assault her, and she filed a complaint to the police, but it was dismissed for lack of evidence. Malago has been found guilty of attempted rape and two aggravating factors, and sentenced to five years.
Cyrille Delville, 54, butcher
Cyrille Delville, who trained as a butcher, claimed he was sexually frustrated in his relationship and had gone on the online chatroom to console himself. The 54-year-old admitted to rape and said: “I’m sorry, I was naive, a little stupid, an idiot.” He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to eight years.
Christian Lescole, 56, firefighter
A volunteer firefighter called Christian Lescole, 56, said he had spent 40 years saving people’s lives. He denied rape and said he thought he had been drugged in January 2019, despite video evidence showing him doing a thumbs up to the camera.
He said: “My body raped her, but my brain didn’t.” When questioned by Gisèle’s lawyers on the need to always ask for consent, he said: “If no one trusts anyone any more we’ll end up having to ask for written authorisation on a piece of paper.” Lescole has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to nine years.
Cyril Beaubis, 47, lorry driver
A 47-year-old single lorry driver, Cyril Beabuis, denied raping Gisèle at her home in November 2018, despite one of Pélicot’s videos being called “With Cyril from Carpentras”. He told the court he had been manipulated and was a victim of the situation too. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape.
Nizar Hamida, 41, hairdresser
Nizar Hamida, a 41-year-old trained hairdresser, denied raping Gisèle in October 2020 and said he went to her home for a final sexual encounter before he was set to marry. He said Pélicot told him his wife “liked that” and he trusted him. He said: “I’m not a rapist … Why would I rape a woman aged over 60?” He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to 10 years.
Lionel Rodriguez, 44, shop worker
Lionel Rodriguez is a married father-of-three who worked in the local supermarket. The court heard Pélicot had taken an unsuspecting Gisèle into the shop so the 44-year-old could see if he was attracted to her. He admitted to raping Gisèle and said he should have left when he saw she was unconscious. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to eight years.
Husamettin Dogan, 43, carer
Husamettin Dogan, a married father born in Turkey, made contact with Pélicot on the chatroom and was told he was looking for an ‘Arab’ man for his wife. Husamettin, 43, said Gisèle “seemed dead”, but he had not known she was drugged and thought it was a game. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to nine years.
Jacques Cubeau, 72, fire officer
A former fire officer, called Jacques Cubeau, aged 72, denied rape but admitted to touching Gisèle without penetration. He said he was “naive” and thought Gisèle would wake up. He told the court his religious education had made him a “giving person” and he loved women “in all their complexity”. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to five years.
Nicolas Francois, 42, journalist
Nicolas Francois, a freelance journalist, 42, denied raping Gisèle in January 2018 and said he went to the Pélicots’ home with the intention of having a homosexual encounter with her husband, despite video evidence showing him on the bed with Gisèle. The writer, who had a pampered upbringing, said he had shown a “lack of discernment”. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to eight years.
Jean Tirano, 52, roofer
Former roofer Jean Tirano, 52, was in a nine-year relationship when he made contact with Pélicot online. He was videoed abusing Gisèle in her bed in September 2018. He told the court: “I am not a rapist”, and claimed he thought Pélicot had drugged him.
But judges observed he had not appeared drugged and gave a thumbs-up sign in one of the clips. When asked why he did not report it to the police, he said: “It was a bad encounter; forget about it.” The court heard he had paid sex workers before but it “felt dirty”. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to eight years.
Jean-Pierre Marechal, 63, lorry driver
A man called Jean-Pierre Marechal, who worked as a former lorry driver, was not accused of raping Gisèle but of using the same technique to drug and rape his own wife. Jean-Pierre, 63, also organised for Pélicot to rape her with him on several occasions, which Pélicot admitted. He has been found guilty of attempted rape and aggravated rape of his wife, as well as drugging her. He has been sentenced to 12 years.
Grégory Serviol, 31, painter
A 31-year-old man called Grégory S, who worked as a painter and decorator and had seven previous convictions, denied raping Gisèle in June 2017. He said he believed Pélicot who told him his wife liked to “make love while drunk”. Grégory told the court he was manipulated by Pélicot and had told him: “Given the state she’s in, it’s not really worth it”, but he had insisted. Video evidence showed him smiling. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to eight years.
Hassan Ouamou, 30
Hassan Ouamou, 30, has an international warrant issued for his arrest. He was tried in absentia for raping Gisèle in March 2018. Pélicot told the court he remembered Hassan coming to their home. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape.
Fabien Sotton, 39
A man with more than a dozen previous convictions, including armed robbery and sexual assault, admitted to raping Gisèle in 2018 in her dining room. Fabien Sotton, 39, told the court Pélicot had carried her unconscious to the table. He said: “I didn’t go there to rape her. I didn’t know I was supposed to rape her, but I recognise the facts”, adding he paid no attention to whether she had consented. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to 11 years.
Patrick Aron, 60, factory worker
A 60-year-old factory worker, called Patrick Aron, admitted to raping Gisèle but said he had taken part “reluctantly” because he was gay and wanted to “please” Pélicot. Gisèle’s lawyer told him: “You are homosexual but you have committed a heterosexual rape, which you admit. In this trial we have already heard of rapes committed ‘by accident’, your specificity is to plead rape committed ‘reluctantly’.” He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to six years, but walks free today as he has medical issues and will need to be placed in a special jail.
Cendric Venzin, 44, soldier
Cendric V, 44, a former soldier who was unemployed at the time, said it was not possible to deny “the facts” of what happened. He said: “I have always said that I did not intend to rape anyone.” He said he believed he was going to have an encounter with a consenting couple with “fantasies” on two occasions in 2016 and 2018. He later said: “Given this case, I can consider that I raped, yes.” He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to nine years.
Mathieu Dartus, 53, baker
Mathieu Dartus, a father-of-two who worked as a baker for 25 years, said he was high on MDMA when he raped Gisèle in October 2020, and said he thought it was a game with the married couple. Mathieu, 53, said: “I can’t deny it was rape.” He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to seven years.
Ludovick Blemeur, 39, warehouse worker
Ludovick Blemeur, 39, said he had no intention to rape Gisèle in 2019 and recognised that a sexual encounter had taken place. The warehouse worker said he had been afraid of Pélicot’s reaction if he left the bedroom, however, he sent a message afterwards about potentially meeting up again. The court heard he was a victim of a notorious sex offender, Fabrice Motch, as a child. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to seven years.
Florian Rocca, 32, delivery driver
Florian Rocca, 32, who worked as a delivery driver, denied raping Gisèle in December 2019 and said he thought it was a “consenting game between three people”. He said: “I did not leave my house with the intention to commit a rape.” His mother, a cleaner, told the court: “I wondered, did I get something wrong in the way he was raised? I know what he did is very serious. I don’t hide that.” He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to seven years.
Boris Moulin, 37, transport worker
Boris Moulin, 37, who worked at a transport company in Avignon, said he thought Gisèle was drunk when he arrived at her home in January 2020 and wasn’t sure if her husband had drugged him. He said: “You go into that house and you’re lobotomised.” He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to eight years.
Cédric Grassot, 50, technician
Cédric Grassot, a 50-year-old software technician, admitted to raping Gisèle in her home in October 2017 with the knowledge she had been drugged unconscious. He told Gisèle in court: “I was your rapist. I was your torturer.” The court heard he was raped aged 13 by an uncle. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to 12 years.
Thierry Postat, 61, refrigeration specialist
Father-of-three Thierry Postat, 61, denied raping Gisèle in August 2020 and said he hadn’t noticed anything abnormal about the night he went to her home. He said: “I always thought Mrs Pélicot would wake up. She wasn’t cold, she wasn’t dead, her skin was soft.”
The refrigeration specialist said he had many previous experiences where a husband had invited him to have sex with a wife and “she’ll be asleep, she doesn’t want to know, we’ll film it”. On one occasion, the woman had woken up.
He told the court: “After I leave prison, I’d like to create an association to get men like me to understand that consent is important. I’d go to swingers’ clubs and say: ‘Don’t forget to get consent’.”
Postat has been found guilty of aggravated mass rape and drugging, and possession of child pornography. He has been sentenced to 12 years and banned from working with children for life.
Philippe Leleu, 62, gardener
Philippe Leleu, a 62-year-old gardener who had worked as an electrician and plumber, described himself as shy and said he was single and regularly paid for sex. He denied raping Gisèle in June 2018 and said it was a “bizarre scenario”. He said: “I lost connection with my brain”, and that his genitals were “where my brain should have been”.
The court heard he was born after his mother was raped aged 15, which he discovered in his 30s. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to five years of which two are suspended.
Dominique Davies, 45, soldier
A lorry driver and former solider, Dominique Davies, 45, was accused of raping Gisèle on six different occasions. He told the court: “I didn’t wake up one morning and say to myself, ‘Hey, today I’m going to go to a couple’s house and commit a crime’.” He denied rape and said: “I just forgot one big guarantee – Madame’s consent.” He has been found guilty of aggravated rape.
Jean-Luc LA, 46, mirror maker
Father-of-four Jean-Luc LA, 46, who worked as a mirror maker, admitted to raping Gisèle on two occasions in 2018, knowing she had been sedated. He said he thought it wasn’t against the law because her husband had given him permission on her behalf. His wife, who is Vietnamese, said she had refused sex so he had to “look elsewhere”.
Gisèle told the wife through her lawyer: “There is never an obligation to have sexual relations with your husband. Do you understand that?” The court heard Pélicot had suggested drugging his wife so they could both rape her. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to 10 years.
Karim Sebaoui, 40, computer expert
Karim Sebaoui, 40, a computer expert with two university degrees, told the court of the night he went to the Pélicot’s home: “I did not go there with the aim of committing a crime and I had absolutely no idea that Mrs Pélicot was not consenting.” But messages between him and Pélicot showed them referring to her not being aware of what was happening. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and having child abuse imagery and sentenced to 10 years.
Didier Sambuchi, 68, lorry driver
A 68-year-old lorry driver, called Didier Sambuchi, claimed he thought Gisèle was pretending to be asleep. He told her in court: “It’s not me you should be angry with, it’s your husband.” The court heard Didier was raped when he was 16. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to five years.
Vincent Coullet, 42, carpenter
Vincent Coullet, a carpenter, said he was “looking for sex” and had thought Gisèle would wake up. Vincent, 42, visited the Pélicot’s home in October 2019 and again in January 2020 but said he felt “no pleasure” and only went back a second time because Pélicot had told him that Gisèle had “enjoyed it”. During his testimony, Gisèle got up and briefly left the courtroom. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to 10 years.
Simoné Mekenese, 42, soldier
A former soldier called Simoné Mekenese, aged 42, who lived on the street next to the Pélicots, was the only rapist Gisèle recognised. She said: “I saw him now and then in the bakery; I would say hello. I never thought he’d come and rape me.” Simone told the court he was going through a “rough patch” with his ex-wife and denied being a rapist. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to nine years.
Andy Rodriguez, 37, labourer
Unemployed agricultural labourer Andy Rodriguez, who has previous domestic violence convictions, said he did not intend to rape Gisèle on New Year’s Eve in 2018. He told the court: “As the husband had given me permission, in my mind she agreed to it.” Andy, 37, said he was a drug and alcoholic addict and thought it was a sexual “game”. He said he had “nothing else to do” that night because his brothers hadn’t invited him to their party. He has been found guilty of attempted rape and aggravating factors and sentenced to six years.
Thierry Parisis, 54, builder
A former builder, 54, who lost his 18-year-old to a road collision, said he had separated from his wife weeks before he raped Gisèle in July 2020. Thierry Parisis said he had contacted Pélicot for an encounter with a couple.
He denied rape and said: “I didn’t set out from my house saying: ‘I’m going to rape someone’.” He continued: “I don’t understand how she didn’t feel anything, didn’t realise.” His ex-wife said it was out of character and she would like to get back with him. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to eight years.
Jérôme Vilela, 46, shop worker
Jérôme Vilela, a former grocery store worker, 46, admitted to raping Gisèle with the knowledge that she was drugged. He said he was addicted to sex and was ashamed to “have done bad to someone who seems so pure”. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to 13 years.
Redouan Azougagh, 55, nurse
A trained anaesthesia nurse, who worked in hospitals in Morocco, was videoed raping Gisèle but denied knowing she was unconscious, despite his healthcare knowledge. Redouan Azougagh, 55, was married and in the process of adopting a young girl. He was disappointed when the adoption process was stopped after his arrest.
He told the court he was the “victim of a trick” and said: “I was terrified, but you can’t see it.” He claimed he thought Gisèle was pretending to be dead and believed he saw her move. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to nine years.
Jean-Marc LeLoup, 74, truck driver
The eldest of the men, a former truck driver called Jean-Marc LeLoup, aged 74, denied raping Gisèle and said he had “obeyed orders” from Pélicot, who told him he wanted to “punish” his wife for having an affair in the past. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to six years.
Saifeddine Ghabi, 37, lorry driver
A married father-of-three, who worked as a lorry driver, called Saifeddine Ghabi, admitted to “attempted rape” but denied rape took place in November 2019. The 37-year-old told the court: “I recognise that I did not get Madame Pélicot’s consent. I am totally conscious of the seriousness of the facts… But for me, it’s an attempted rape. That is not to minimise it. I’m here for Madame Pélicot to know the truth.” He has been acquitted of rape and attempted rape and found guilty of sexual assault.
Mohamed Rafaa, 70, night club worker
A 70-year-old former night club worker, called Mohamed Rafaa, who was previously sentenced to five years in prison for raping his 17-year-old daughter, denied raping Gisèle. He told the court: “I couldn’t imagine for a fraction of a second that Dominique Pélicot did that without his wife knowing.” He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to eight years.
Redouane El Farihi, 40, unemployed
An unemployed father-of-four, Redouane El Farihi, 40, went to the Pélicots’ home twice in 2019 but denied rape. He said he had asked Pélicot if it was normal that Gisèle was snoring and he replied: “Yes, we like doing it like that.” He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to eight years.
Ahmed Tbarik, 54, plumber
A 54-year-old plumber called Ahmed Tbarik, who was married for more than 30 years with three children, also denied raping Gisèle and said: “I’m not a rapist, but if I had wanted to rape, I wouldn’t have chosen a 57-year-old woman, I would have chosen a pretty one.” He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to eight years.
Mahdi Daoudi, 36, transport worker
Mahdi Daoudi, 36, who worked as a transport worker, has been found guilty of mass rape and drugging and sentenced to eight years. He denied raping Gisèle in October 2018 and said he placed the responsibility on her husband.
He told the court it was “terrible” for him to find himself caught up in the mass rape trial and said: “One can’t imagine what she has been through, she has been destroyed and I have thoughts not only for that poor woman but her whole entourage and family.”
Quentin Hennebert, 34, prison warden
Quentin Hennebert, a 34-year-old prison warden, said Pélicot had told him he had a female “friend” who “had a fantasy about playing the sleeping woman”. He admitted to the charge of rape in November 2019. Hennebert, who lived with his girlfriend at the time, said something “didn’t feel right” when he left the couple’s home but did not report it because: “I was ashamed, I wanted to get it out of my head.” He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to seven years.
Paul-Koikoi Grovogui, 31, hopeful pastor
Father-of-one Paul-Koikoi Grovogui, 31, who told the court he would like to train as a pastor, admitted to rape and said he was young (aged 23) and wanted to “have fun”. Pélicot had drugged Gisèle at breakfast in 2016 before Paul raped her. He apologised to Gisèle in court and said: “We are not monsters; we are men like any others.” He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to eight years.
Patrice Nicolle, 55, electrician
Patrice Nicolle, 55, who worked as an electrician from Carpentras, said: “To my mind, it was a game.” He claimed he had not noticed that Gisèle was sedated when he went to the home in February 2020, despite video evidence showing her unconscious and snoring loudly. A care worker who became Nicolle’s girlfriend despite knowing he was charged with rape said: “He treats me like a princess.” He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to eight years.
Cyprien Culieras, 43, lorry driver
A former lorry driver and father-of-one, Cyprien Culieras, 43, denied rape and accepted a sexual encounter had taken place in Gisèle’s bed in 2017. He said he was sorry to Gisèle that he could “not say more than that”. He told the court: “I can’t say that it’s rape”, arguing that Pélicot had led him to believe his wife was pretending to be asleep. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to six years.
Abdelali Dallal, 47, canteen worker
Abdelali Dallal, a 47-year-old who worked as a former canteen worker, admitted to rape on two occasions. The first time, in January 2018, he asked his then-girlfriend to drive him to the Pélicots’ village and wait an hour for him in the car. The woman told the court she “didn’t want to know” details but thought he was meeting a couple for a sexual encounter and didn’t want him to drive drunk. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to eight years, but walks free today as he has medical issues and will need to be placed in a special jail.
Romain Vandevelde, 63, forklift driver
A former forklift driver, called Romain Vandevelde, 63, denied raping Gisèle on six occasions over six months between 2019 and 2020 because her husband invited him in. He said: “I felt lonely. Christmas was approaching and I was going to be on my own again. I was looking for friendship.” He admitted he had known he was HIV positive and had not worn a condom because it “wasn’t contagious”. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to 15 years.
Omar Douiri, 36, mechanic
Omar Douiri, a 36-year-old married mechanic born in Morocco, said it was his “first threesome” and he “didn’t know how it worked”. He said he did not remember if he had looked at Gisèle’s face and did not accept that he raped her in November 2017. He has been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to eight years.
Joseph Cocco, 69, salesman
Retired salesman Joseph Cocco, 69, who was also a karate coach for the police for 25 years, was the only man charged with sexual assault not rape. He went to the Pélicots’ home in June 2020 when another man, Romain V, was also in the bedroom. He said he had “caressed” Gisèle and he had heard snoring. He said he left after Pélicot insulted him.
He said: “If I knew he’d filmed me, I would have reported him. If I knew he drugged and rape his wife, I would have reported him. It’s not that I was scared, I didn’t know.” He called on several police officer friends as witnesses, who said he was “respectful” and a decent man. One said: “I can spot liars and he isn’t one.” Cocco has been found guilty of aggravated sexual assault and sentenced to three years.
If you are affected by the issues raised in this article, contact SARSAS on [email protected] or reach out for NHS advice on help after rape or sexual assault.