Dominique Pelicot judged for subjecting his wife to systematic abuse: 20 years of imprisonment requested

The main accused in the Mazan rapes faces demands for severe sentences

Dominique Pelicot, the main accused in the Mazan rape trial, is being judged for drugging and raping his wife, Gisèle Pelicot, and for organizing sexual violence involving more than 50 men whom he recruited online. The prosecutor has requested the maximum sentence of 20 years of criminal detention, emphasizing the gravity of the offenses and their systematic nature. The deputy prosecutor stressed that Pelicot inflicted indescribable suffering on his wife and family, acting consciously to submit and degrade his victim.

Suffering inflicted with full awareness of the act

She also clarified that, although Pelicot appeared to be a caring husband and affectionate father, he acted primarily to satisfy his personal desires, without regard for his wife’s humanity. His method, according to the general prosecutor, was to “submit” Gisèle Pelicot through chemical submission, administering powerful medications like Temesta and Zolpidem, creating confusion and a state of lethargy in the victim, who even had a car accident under the influence of these substances.

Horrors filmed and photographed: intolerable abuse

In addition to the repeated sexual violence, Dominique Pelicot is also accused of taking and distributing intimate photos of his wife and stepdaughters, including pornographic montages. Shocking images of his own daughter, Caroline Darian, were also found, but due to insufficient evidence, the accusations of rape against his daughter were not upheld.

Requested sentences for accomplices and other accused individuals

Furthermore, the prosecutor has requested 17 years of imprisonment for Jean-Pierre M., one of Dominique Pelicot’s accomplices, who is accused of raping and having his own wife raped with the help of the main accused. The defense lawyers’ pleas will continue until Wednesday, and the sentences for the other accused individuals will vary depending on their level of involvement.