A pensioner drugged and raped his wife for years. A witness accuses him and her husband of the same acts.
Avignon – A cruel case shakes France. A 72-year-old man is accused of having handed over his 71-year-old wife to other men for abuse over the years. A witness testified in court and accused both the main defendant and her own husband of the same crimes. Her husband is said to have acted under the instructions of the 72-year-old.
Abuse trial in France: 51 men face trial
The abuse trial is currently underway in Avignon. A total of 51 men are on trial, accused of raping the wife of a pensioner over a long period of time. According to the prosecution, the husband is said to have drugged his wife beforehand. The heinous acts are said to have taken place over a period of more than ten years. The trial is scheduled to last four months. If the main defendant, a pensioner, is convicted, he could receive a prison sentence of up to 20 years.
18 of the defendants, aged between 21 and 68, are already in custody. According to the judiciary, the co-defendants represent a broad cross-section of society, including drivers, business owners, plumbers and journalists. Most of them are said to have had no criminal record before. They are said to have come into contact with the main defendant through an online platform for sexual contacts. Most recently, a gang rape in North Rhine-Westphalia also shocked people.
Man subjected his drugged wife to rape for years – she knew nothing about it for a long time
The background to the crime in Avignon is shocking for many observers. The pensioner is said to have made his wife available to other men for his own satisfaction. Some of the accused claim that they did not know that the woman was drugged before intercourse – others thought it was a sex game. However, the majority of the accused confessed to their crimes. A total of 72 men are said to have been involved, of whom only 51 could be identified.
The woman herself was unaware of the abuse for years due to the strong medication she was taking. Only persistent tiredness and large memory gaps made her increasingly insecure. The police tracked down the pensioner after he was arrested for other crimes – he filmed women under their skirts. During the investigation, hundreds of videos of the crimes were found on the defendant’s computer. The pensioner’s lawyer spoke of an “absolutely terrible ordeal” that his client went through after the rapes became known.
Witness also raped by main defendant – her husband acted according to the same pattern
A key witness and also a victim of the crimes has already testified in court how rtl.de reported. She explained to the judge that the 72-year-old had raped her using the same method. She also stated that her own husband had done the same thing to her under the instructions of the main defendant. Her partner is said to have obtained the drugs from the 72-year-old main defendant in order to sedate the witness.
During the trial, the witness spoke of a long-term and happy relationship with her husband, who also appeared in court that day: “We lived in normal circumstances.” She therefore said she could not have expected the crime: “And then this. I don’t understand it” and explained: “It was so nice before – why did he do this to me and my children? I don’t understand it.”
“I still have feelings for him”: Woman apparently does not want to separate from husband after rape
In addition to her shocking descriptions of the crimes, the witness also surprised the court in another way. According to her own statement, she does not want to separate from her husband, as rtl.de reported. She described: “He was such a great man. I can’t forget those beautiful years” and explained: “I still have feelings for him, he is the father of my five children.”
She asked the judge: “What should I tell the children: that their father is in prison because he raped their mother?” At the end of her questioning, she even said: “I hope that one day he will come out and be able to see his children.”
At the request of the main victim, the trial is being held in public. It is intended to serve as a deterrent for women who are drugged and then abused. However, the main defendant did not appear at his first hearing. The court announced that he was ill and requested a medical report. It is possible that the trial will be adjourned for several days. (rd/dpa/bk)
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