• Surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec sentenced to 20 years for sexually assaulting 299 patients, mostly children under anaesthesia.
• The case is viewed as France's worst child sexual abuse scandal, revealing systemic failures within the healthcare system.
• Victims and advocates are disappointed with the absence of preventive detention, fearing Le Scouarnec could be eligible for parole in a few years.
• Le Scouarnec admitted to his crimes during the trial, where he faced public outrage from victims and advocacy groups.

A French court has sentenced retired surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec to 20 years in prison for the sexual abuse of 299 patients, many of them children, in a case considered the worst of its kind in modern France. Over a span of 25 years, Le Scouarnec admitted to his crimes during a highly publicized trial, acknowledging that he sexually assaulted or raped several patients, often while they were under anaesthesia, during his tenure in hospitals between 1989 and 2014, according to Le Monde, BBC, and Reuters.

The court found that the abusive acts committed by Le Scouarnec were of "particular gravity," highlighting the vulnerability of his victims, many of whom were underage hospital patients. The presiding judge, Aude Buresi, delivered the maximum sentence allowable under French law, although this will be served concurrently with a previous 15-year sentence he received for offenses against four children, including his two nieces, according to South China Morning Post, Channel News Asia, and Los Angeles Times.

Victims and advocacy groups have expressed dismay over the verdict, particularly the decision not to impose preventive detention, which could have kept Le Scouarnec incarcerated beyond the minimum term set by the ruling, as many fear his potential release in a few years could endanger other children. The victims participated in protests, and some believe the legal outcomes do not appropriately reflect the severity of the crimes, drawing comparisons with harsher sentences in other cases involving lesser crimes, as reported by BBC, India Times, and Al Jazeera.

During court proceedings, Le Scouarnec, now 74, expressed remorse but many victims felt his documented apologies lacked sincerity. He described his actions as "despicable" and acknowledged the lifelong impact of his crimes on the victims, stating, "I didn’t see them as people," which further enraged his accusers and advocates for child safety. Evidence presented during the trial included detailed records of the abuse kept by Le Scouarnec, showcasing the premeditation behind his actions, according to Reuters, Los Angeles Times, and India Times.