A court in France on Thursday gave the maximum possible sentence under French law to Dominique Pelicot, the ex-husband of Gisèle Pelicot.
For nearly a decade, Dominique drugged and raped the victim, and allowed other men to rape her while she was unconscious.
The lead judge of the court in Avignon, Roger Arata, read out verdicts one after the other against Pelicot and the 50 other men tried in the shocking case that stunned France.
Arata told Pelicot to stand for the sentencing.
“You are therefore declared guilty of aggravated rape on the person of Mme. Gisèle Pelicot.”
After the 20 years of imprisonment verdict was delivered, Dominique Pelicot sat back down and cried. The 72-year-old could spend the rest of his life in prison
The trial has triggered protest rallies around France in support of Gisele.
20,000 photos and videos
The gruseome case and crime committed by Dominque Pelicot was uncovered when he was arrested for a separate upskirting offence at a supermarket in 2020.
Police then discovered more than 20,000 photos and videos on his computer drives revealing the horrifying secrets that he had hidden from his now ex-wife for a decade, reported Reuters.
Hails courage
Dominique Pelicot hailed the courage of his now ex-spouse during his trial while admitting to enlisting dozens of strangers to rape his heavily-sedated wife.
“I would like to start by hailing the courage of my ex-wife” Gisele Pelicot. I regret what I did, making (my family) suffer… I ask them for forgiveness,” he said, asking the family to “accept my apologies”, Dominique Pelicot said in his final statement to the court.
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