Pelicot rape trial dwell: Gisèle ‘led this fight’ for her grandchildren as 51 males sentenced to 428 years

German chancellor Olaf Scholz has thanked Gisèle Pelicot for her courage.

In a post on X, he wrote: “The shame must change sides. Thank you, Gisèle #Pelicot ! You courageously went from anonymity to public and fought for justice.

“You gave women around the world a strong voice. The shame always lies with the perpetrator.”

Gisèle Pelicot defiantly said she has “never regretted” publicly attending her rape trial as she spoke out for the first time since her ex-husband Dominique Pelicot was jailed for 20 years.

France’s worst-ever mass rape trial saw 51 men convicted for a total of 428 years today (19 December), in a case which has shocked the world.

Explaining why she chose to waive her right to anonymity, Ms Pelicot told the media after the verdicts: “I wanted… to ensure that society could see what was happening. I never have regretted this decision. I have now faith in our capacity to collectively take hold of a future in which everybody… can live together in harmony, respect, and mutual understanding.”

Ms Pelicot’s ex-husband, dubbed the Monster of Avignon, was jailed after being found guilty of orchestrating her horrific rape.

Watch here:

It was a free chat site with a simple interface allowing users to communicate anonymously.

Pelicot, who was jailed for 20 years on Thursday, co-ordinated his abuse by finding many of the men who raped his wife on the illicit chat site, and then through the platform was able to conceal his crimes.

Inside a packed Vaucluse criminal courtroom in Avignon, 47 men, including Pelicot, were convicted of rape. Two others were found guilty of attempted rape, and another two guilty of sexual assault.

Alexander Butler reports:

The daughter of Dominique Pelicot, dubbed the Monster of Avignon, screamed out in court that he would “die like a dog” as he issued his final statement of the trial.

Pelicot had been accused of drugging his daughter, Caroline, when she was 20, and taking photos of her naked in bed in lingerie which she didn’t recognise. The images were found years later.

In his final statement of the trial which appalled the world, Pelicot said according to the Daily Mail: I would like to look my daughter straight in the eye and tell her that I did nothing [to her].”

But Caroline Darian, his daughter, shouted out in court: “I’ll never go to see you ever. You’ll finish alone like a dog.”

He replied, according to the Telegraph: “If I had taken [the photos] I would say so, but I can’t remember. She will never believe me. I may die like a dog. I am not asking her to stand behind my coffin [when I die]. There won’t be a coffin.”

“Even if she doesn’t love me any more, I will always love her. I know what I did. I know what I didn’t do.”

Gisèle Pelicot has left the courtroom in Avignon, southern France.

Ms Pelicot appeared calm as she walked down the steps of the courthouse which she has visited almost every day since September, to hear the devastating details of crimes committed against her.

She held herself with dignity as she exited the courts and was swarmed by her supporters who have spent all morning singing, chanting and holding placards.

They shouted “merci Gisèle” and “bravo Gisèle”, before she departed for the final time in a grey car.

As she was driven away, emotional crowds sang songs including with the lyrics: “the women are enraged”.

The sentences of the 51 men charged with rape and other offences related to the campaign of abuse against Gisèle Pelicot, orchestrated by her ex-husband Dominque Pelicot, are being revealed on Thursday.

Mr Pelicot has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for drugging his ex-wife, raping her, and inviting men to abuse her while unconscious for nearly a decade. He has also been found guilty of taking indecent images of his daughter and daughters-in-law.

While the 72-year-old had admitted the charges against him, most of the 50 other men on trial had denied charges of rape. They largely reside within the towns and villages around the southern French town of Mazan, where the Pelicots lived during their marriage.

Most have now been found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to time in prison. Here’s a full list of the defendants and their convictions:

Albert Toth reports:

Of her decision to waive her anonymity, Ms Pelicot said she “wanted to ensure that society could actually see what was happening and I never regretted this decision”.

She said she has “faith in our capacity to collectively take hold of our future”.

Ms Pelicot added that she respects the verdicts and sentences of the court.