Joël Le Scouarnec Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison: A Landmark Trial for Unprecedented Crimes

Found guilty of rapes and sexual assaults on 299 victims, the former surgeon, aged 74, receives the maximum sentence. A verdict that marks a judicial milestone—but the case may not be over.

After three harrowing months of trial, the criminal court of Morbihan delivered its verdict on Wednesday, May 28. Former digestive surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec, 74, was sentenced to 20 years in prison—the maximum penalty allowed by law—for 111 rapes and 188 sexual assaults committed between 1989 and 2014. The acts, described as extremely serious, were carried out against 299 victims—most of them children, with 256 under the age of 15 at the time of the offenses.

No Appeal, but Preventive Detention Not Applied

Le Scouarnec has stated through his lawyer that he will not appeal the decision. Imprisoned since 2017, he will be eligible to apply for parole in 2030, after serving two-thirds of his sentence, as required by the court’s safety period. The exceptional measure of preventive detention—allowing indefinite placement in a medico-judicial center after release—was requested by the prosecution but ultimately not applied. The presiding judge stressed that, while a risk of reoffending may exist, such a measure must remain rare and justified only under exceptional circumstances.

In addition to the prison sentence, Le Scouarnec was placed under 15 years of judicial supervision, including a possible seven-year obligation to undergo treatment. He is permanently banned from practicing medicine, engaging in any activity (paid or volunteer) involving minors, owning a pet, or contacting any of his victims.

Full Confession and Acceptance of Responsibility

Throughout the trial, Le Scouarnec admitted to all the charges against him. In his final statement to the court, he asked for “no leniency,” stating he had “become aware of the immense pain” his crimes caused to the victims and their loved ones. “Simply grant me the right to become a better person,” he added.

His lawyer, Maxime Tessier, emphasized his client’s honesty, arguing that the confessions were not an attempt to reduce the sentence but a sincere act of accountability. “Mr. Le Scouarnec did not try to escape punishment,” he said. “What matters here is the truth and its full recognition.”

The Legal Chapter Is Not Yet Closed

This is Le Scouarnec’s second conviction, following a 2020 sentence of 15 years in prison for similar crimes against minors. However, the legal proceedings are far from over. Two additional investigations are underway: one aims to identify further victims who may have only recently come forward, while the other—launched against persons unknown—is seeking to determine whether those close to Le Scouarnec were aware of his actions.

The broader implications of this case have raised serious concerns. Thibaut Kurzawa, another defense lawyer, noted that “while there is one perpetrator, there may not be just one person responsible,” suggesting that silence or complicity from others may have allowed the abuse to continue for decades.