A surgeon, Joel Le Scouarnec, has been accused of horrific acts of abuse against nearly 300 children in France. As one of the most significant sexual abuse cases in French legal history, his trial is set to commence on February 24 in Vannes, Brittany.
Over the past 11 years at his home, Le Scouarnec meticulously documented his actions in a detailed diary, which reportedly includes graphic descriptions of the sexual abuse he inflicted on 299 minors. While he has denied some allegations, claiming his writings were mere “fantasies,” the evidence against him is substantial.
Allegations suggest that many victims were assaulted while under anesthesia in hospitals where Le Scouarnec worked. His victims ranged in age, with the youngest being just four years old. In his journals, he frequently referred to himself as a “paedophile” and meticulously recorded the names, dates, and locations of the abuse, sometimes addressing entries to his victims with terms like “Dear little one.”
On each of his birthdays, Le Scouarnec infamously noted, “I am a paedophile and I am proud of it.” His criminal behavior was first exposed when he assaulted a six-year-old girl living nearby, leading to a police investigation that uncovered shocking evidence at his residence, including around 70 life-size dolls hidden under the floorboards, which he used for his own gratification. Officers also found videos of him engaging with the dolls, alongside his disturbing diaries.
Despite a previous conviction in 2005 for possessing child pornography—stemming from an FBI sting operation—authorities failed to uncover the diaries that could have revealed the full extent of his crimes, resulting in a lenient four-month suspended sentence. He subsequently moved and continued his medical career unimpeded.
Now 74 and serving a 15-year sentence for the abuse of his two nieces, a patient, and his neighbor’s daughter, new alleged victims have emerged following the discovery of his journals. His actions have inflicted deep psychological scars on many victims, leading some to tragedy and others to struggle with addiction and damaged relationships.
The victims, along with their families, are calling for accountability from the authorities who did not prevent his prolonged abuse. Le Scouarnec’s early life was marked by a stable family background, and he qualified as a doctor in 1981. Throughout his career, he frequently relocated for work, eventually leading him to compile his unsettling diaries starting in the late 1980s.
Questions remain regarding how much his wife, Marie-France, knew about his activities, especially after an entry revealing that she discovered his predilection in 1997. Even after a criminal conviction, he managed to obtain a surgical position in Jonzac, where he continued his depraved actions until his eventual arrest in 2017.
With the upcoming trial in Vannes, the suffering of 299 alleged victims will be brought to light in what is projected to be a significant judicial process, costing around three million euros. The detailed 745-page indictment highlights the extent of Le Scouarnec’s crimes, and many will come forward to testify about the abuse they endured at the hands of a man once perceived as a trusted member of society.
