Dominique Pelicot, infamously known as ‘the Monster of Avignon’, has confessed in court to orchestrating a series of rapes on his wife by inviting dozens of men he met online to their home post-retirement due to boredom.
The 71 year old stands accused of sedating his wife Gisele Pelicot, 72, and then facilitating a gruesome total of 92 assaults perpetrated by 72 different men – 51 of whom have already been identified by the authorities.
Just last week, proceedings were disrupted when Pelicot was taken ill in court, experiencing discomfort and nausea before being admitted to hospital after similar episodes in his prison cell.
Now back in court, Pelicot informed the jury that post-retirement tedium led him to start these horrific attacks on his spouse.
In response to a question from his defence about how he felt having ‘contacted dozens of strangers’, Pelicot’s chilling reply was: “I didn’t pick anyone up, they came and got me themselves. They asked me and I said yes. They agreed and came to my home. I didn’t handcuff anyone to my home. I trusted these men who knew why they were coming.”, reports the Mirror.
In an emotional court confrontation, Pelicot faced Caroline Darian, his only daughter, who had previously claimed he had drugged her and photographed her nude. To this he responded in court saying: “Caroline, I never drugged you or raped you. It’s not possible to say that. I never did that.”
Earlier today, he reflected on his marriage during the trial, saying: “I loved her well for 40 years and loved her badly for 10 years. I ruined everything, I lost everything. I should never have done that.”
On the topic of his ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ personality described by psychiatrists, Pelicot insisted he “was not born perverted” but conceded: “We can’t say my life hasn’t been influenced by that. Side A and Side B are the same man, but with addictions.”
When questioned about the onset of his perversion, Pelicot responded: “We try to deal with what we have experienced. We become perverted when we meet someone who gives us the possibility. Then we become perverted, yes.”
Pelicot also expressed continued affection for his three adult children and commended his daughter for establishing a protest group against so-called “chemical submission” the practice of drugging individuals to facilitate sexual assault.
The trial is ongoing.