The trial in France of a retired electrician who drugged his wife and invited dozens of strangers to rape his wife was at risk of collapse tonight after the judge announced the defendant was so ill he would not be able to attend court until Monday at the earliest.
Dominique Pelicot has admitted giving his wife Gisele powerful sedatives to render her unconscious and then sneaking men into their home in a village in Provence to attack her.
The testimony of the 71-year-old has twice been postponed this week after he was taken to hospital suffering a suspected bladder infection.
But this afternoon Judge Roger Arata dramatically told the court that Pelicot’s health had deteriorated and he would not be fit enough to attend court until Monday at the earliest.
Judge Arata said: ‘Mr Pelicot’s health has deteriorated. He requires medical treatment and will be unable to attend court for the rest of this week.
Dominique Pelicot is on trial for a near-decade long campaign of drugging and sexually abusing his wife along with 50 other men he invited to the family home to take part
Dominique Pelicot, seen in this court sketch, briefly turned up on Wednesday, with his left hand supporting his head as he slumped against the side of a gallery
Gisele Pelicot was unknowingly given a mix of sleeping pills and tranquillisers by her husband
Daughter Caroline Darian said her father Pelicot secretly photographed her in the nude, along with her two sisters-in-law
‘He will not return to court before Monday at the earliest.’
Zavarro called for a full medical examination, saying: ‘I met Mr Pelicot lying down in prison.
‘He had vomited, had fainting spells, and had pain in his kidneys. Physically, he is here, but probably not in a fit state to take part in the proceedings in a calm manner.’
Pecliot briefly turned up on Wednesday, with his left hand supporting his head as he slumped against the side of a gallery, looking around the court with a vacant expression.
Within minutes, Judge Arata called for Pelicot to leave, confirming that he had been ‘suffering with pain’ in his intestines first reported on Monday.
Judge Arata told the court that the trial would continue with evidence heard against other defendants for the rest of the day and tomorrow morning.
Pelicot’s lawyer Beatrice Zavarro told the court that her client’s deteriorating health had been compounded by prison staff who failed to act when he first became unwell on Friday.
Judge Arata warned all the interested parties – including lawyers acting for Madame Pelicot – that the case is likely to be adjourned until Pelicot, the main defendant, is well enough to attend court.
Pelicot is facing a jail sentence of up to 20 years, along with 50 other defendants, accused of the ‘aggravated rape’ of Gisele Pelicot, also 71, over almost a decade.
Heads shook in disbelief around the court, as Ms Zavarro insisted his absence was not a ‘ploy’.
She said: ‘Let’s be clear about this. Mr Pelicot will not be avoiding his own trial.
‘He will be here. He will reply to all the questions, but he can’t control what happens to his body. He didn’t plan to be ill. He is not a robot.’
It is technically possible to avoid a trial in France because of extreme ill health.
Abdominal pain is frequently the result of problems in the small and large intestine, and counsel for Pelicot said it has been affecting him for a number of days.
On Monday, psychologists described Pelicot as a ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ character who drugged his wife so strangers could rape her at night.
Gisele Pelicot who has allegedly been drugged and raped by men solicited by her husband Dominique Pelicot, walks into the courthouse in Avignon, France, September 10
Gisele Pelicot arrives at court in Avignon, France on Tuesday supported by her children Florian (left) and David (right)
Gisele Pelicot faces journalists as she exits the courtroom flanked by her sons Florian (rear) and David (right) after attending a session of the trial of her former partner Dominique Pelicot at the courthouse in Avignon, on Monday
He told detectives that he considered himself a ‘good husband’ to Ms Pelicot, whom he married in 1971 and had three children with.
The couple’s divorce was finalised last month, and Ms Pelicot is now one of the main prosecution witnesses against him.
She has sat in court throughout the last seven days of the trial, along with her children.
On Friday, Mr Pelicot’s own daughter described him as ‘one of the greatest sexual predators’ of recent years.
Caroline Darian, 46, said he secretly photographed her in the nude, along with her two sisters-in-law.
This was at the same family home in Mazan, some 20 miles from Avignon, which Pelicot had invited the men to after contacting them online.
Pelicot was first arrested in September 2020 for secretely filming up women’s skirts at a supermarket in Carpentras.
His devices were searched, and there were hundreds of photos and pornographic videos of women, including family members.
It was while in custody that Mr Pelicot reported a hard drive, hidden under a printer, which contained a file called ‘Abuses’.
It classified the nickname and telephone numbers of attackers, together with some 3,800 photos and videos of Gisèle Pelicot being raped, between 2011 and 2020.
Detectives have listed a total of 92 rapes committed by 72 men, 51 of whom have been identified.
Pelicot moved his family from greater Paris in 1991, and later allegedly set up the sex ring.
It involved advertising on a site for ‘partners’ on an online forum called ‘Without Her Knowing’ on the coco.fr site.
Caroline, the daughter of Gisele Pelicot who has allegedly been drugged and raped by men solicited by her husband Dominique Pelicot, at the courthouse in Avignon, France on Tuesday
Of the 83 men involved, 51 aged between 26 and 73 were identified and arrested by the police.
Pelicot is said to have sedated his wife by putting Temesta – a powerful anti-anxiety medication – into her evening dinner.
Following his arrest in September 2020 he told psychologists that his wife was to blame for his actions because she refused to go swinging with him.
During prison interviews Pelicot maintained that the sickening abuse of his wife of 50 years Gisele would have continued if he had not been arrested.
Alleged rapists involved in the case include civil servants, ambulance workers, soldiers, prison guards, nurses, a journalist, a municipal councillor, and truck drivers.
In a separate case, Pelicot has been charged with raping and murdering a 23-year-old estate agent in Paris in 1991.
He has admitted one attempted rape in 1999, after DNA testing proved a case against him.
The Avignon aggravated rape case continues, and is due to last until December 21.
Fourteen of the other defendants have admitted rape, while the rest deny any wrongdoing.