On the surface, presented himself as "an ideal father" and a dedicated doctor. Now, evidence presented in court suggests a far darker reality, with the former surgeon facing sexual violence charges against 299 victims.

Scouarnec, allegedlyis on trial at the Morbihan Criminal Court in the town of Vannes, Brittany. In what is France's largest-ever child sexual abuse case, the 74-year-old stands accused of abusing 158 males and 141 females in hospitals and other medical centres across the country over a 25-year period.

The average age of with the youngest being just four. The convicted paedophile was previously jailed for 15 years back in 2020 after he was found guilty of abusing four children.

These horrific crimes are in stark contrast to the "happy" home life detailed by who have likened his two very different personalities to the dual character in Robert Louise Stevenson's 1886 novella, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

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Le Scouarnec's former wife, Marie-France Le Scouarnec, who has separated from the defendant, has painted a picture of being left completely in the dark about the alleged crimes of her "Jekyll and Hyde" husband. The Le Scouarnecs married soon after their first meeting in 1974, and doubts have been expressed over her account of having "not noticed anything".

Ms Le Scouarnec had been due to give evidence in person in court on Tuesday, February 25, but was excused after claiming to have been injured in a minor car accident. Comments made by her to investigators were instead read out, along with comments made by her three sons.

On what was the second day of the trial, Le Scouarnec's evidence was read before the court, with the mother-of-three claiming: "I wondered how I could have not noticed anything. It's a terrible betrayal that he committed against me and my children."

However, a handwritten letter penned by Ms Le Scouarnec in 2010 has been submitted as evidence, with prosecutors alleging that it suggests the now-estranged wife knows more than she has so far let on. The letter, submitted some seven years before Le Scouarnec's arrest, reads: "I ask you to please protect my youngest son, the only one who does not know his father's past."

Meanwhile, those who survived Le Scouarnec's alleged attacks have accused Ms Le Scouarnec of concealing the doctor's "paedo criminal activities" over the course of many decades. Speaking outside the court after Ms Le Scouarnec's evidence was read out, Marie-Caroline Arrighi, a spokesperson for four victims, asserted: "She knew. Marie-France Le Scouarnec knew and protected her husband."

Addressing Ms Le Scouarnec's version of events, Ms Arrighi said: "Reading such comments is truly disgusting. We affirm, with supporting evidence, that this woman knew about her husband's paedo-criminal activities well before the case broke in 2017. She knowingly concealed them, allowing him to act for more than 30 years."

Referring to the couple as "evil", Ms Arrighi continued: "Reporting sexual crimes and offences against minors is a legal obligation."

Le Scouarnec's brother, Patrick Le Scouarnec, has also cast doubt on his sister-in-law's story, telling the court that she wasn't telling the truth and had stayed with the defendant "mostly for his salary". Mr Le Scouarnec told the hearing: "There is another person who could have ensured that my brother was arrested – it is his wife, Marie-France. She was aware of her husband's actions, and she did nothing."

The 70-year-old then appeared to direct his comments at Ms Le Scouarnec, who had been present in court, stating: "Actually, Marie-France, I wonder if she loved her husband for money or for love. Quite honestly, I think it was mostly for his salary. When you have a husband who earns 10,000 Euros per month net [about £8,300], it's something that allowed my sister-in-law not to work. She could go and do aquaerobics, a whole series of activities. Well, that's it."

Mr Le Scouarnec also claimed that Ms Le Scouarnec had "numerous lovers", recalling her "leaving a party during the aperitif to join one". He went on to allege that Ms Le Scouarnec had "slept with the husband of her sister", and that she'd "made advances to me around 1983".

According to Ms Le Scouarnec, who expressed regret that her home life had been "sewn with lies", her husband had been "an ideal father with his sons". She remembered him as being "Intelligent, very intelligent, very open, tender and gentle", while one of her sons remarked in an interview that his father is "an intelligent man, a little cold, who is interested in many things", the court heard.

However, a search of the paedophile's home told a very different story. Some 300,000 indecent photos and videos of children were recovered, as well 70 child-sized dolls, some of which were chained up. Most notably, authorities found hundreds of diaries and notebooks, Le Scouarnec is alleged in across northwest France.

In many of these shocking diary entries, Le Scouarnec described himself as a “paedophile”, writing "I am a paedophile, and I am proud of it" on his birthday each year. The court heard many alleged victims had been unaware they'd been assaulted due to being under anaesthesia or recovering from surgery, until their names were discovered in the twisted diaries.

In an interview presented to court by prosecutors, Ms Le Scouarnec claimed: "I was not aware of his inclinations, his dolls. I only learned about his notebooks after his arrest."

reports that, on the second day of the trial, Le Scouarnec's eldest son told the court: "I can't hate him because I have nothing to criticize him about as a father. But I can't forgive him for what he may have done." He also spoke of how his late paternal grandfather repeatedly abused and raped him repeatedly, stating: "I was nine, ten years old. It happened dozens of times."

Le Scouarnec has not been accused of abusing his own children. However, in a separate case in 2020, he was convicted of the rape and sexual assault of four children, two of whom were his nieces.

Earlier that same day, Le Scouarnec's younger son told the court: "For us, it seemed completely crazy that someone could act like that towards so many people. You tell yourself: it can't be, it can't be." Addressing his father through tears, the 38-year-old added: "Maybe we'll never see each other again, but I wanted to tell you I love you and I'm sorry."

Both sons expressed the view that their childhood had, overall, been a happy and privileged one, and that their father hadn't abused them. The younger son testified: "I had a happy childhood. I have very good memories of my father, I think that's also why I haven't been in touch with him since 2017, because deep down I want to keep that image of him."

The trial of Joël Le Scouarnec continues and is expected to conclude in June.

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

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