The daughter of the convicted rapist Dominique Pelicot, whose trial horrified France because it detailed his years of abusing his spouse with strangers, filed a police criticism towards him this week that accused him of drugging and raping her as nicely.
Mr. Pelicot was found guilty final December of drugging and raping his spouse, Gisèle Pelicot, for a couple of decade, and alluring dozens of males to their house in southern France to rape her together with him. Fifty different males had been additionally discovered responsible, principally for raping or sexually assaulting Ms. Pelicot whereas she was in a deeply sedated state.
The four-month trial ignited deep dialogue within the nation about rape tradition, the understanding of consent and the widespread use of fundamental sleep and anti-anxiety medicine to prey on folks — a predation technique that in France is named chemical submission.
Throughout the trial, the Pelicots’ daughter, Caroline Darian, confronted her father twice, saying she was sure he had drugged and also raped her. Mr. Pelicot repeatedly denied that he had drugged and even touched his daughter, not to mention raped her.
Prosecutors didn’t cost Mr. Pelicot with drugging or abusing his daughter final yr. The criticism Ms. Darian filed this week shall be examined by an investigating decide or prosecutor, who will resolve whether or not there may be sufficient proof or to not indict Mr. Pelicot on new costs.
Mr. Pelicot was additionally discovered responsible final yr of taking intimate images of his daughter and daughters-in-law. Investigators discovered about 20,000 images and movies investigators on his computer systems and exhausting drives that documented lots of the a whole lot of rapes he orchestrated on his sedated spouse, and which allowed the police to determine different rapists.
There have been additionally photos taken at totally different occasions that captured his daughter sleeping in underwear that she stated was not hers, with the covers pulled again and the lights on.
His explanations for the images modified in the course of the trial. He variously stated that he had not taken the images, that he didn’t consider they had been of her, and that he had taken them as a result of he was being blackmailed.
Ms. Darian, who goes by a pen identify, had hoped that her accusations throughout final yr’s trial could be examined intimately, she stated in an interview this week.
“I hoped to get the reality,” she stated. “That by no means occurred.”
She added, “I can’t cease there. It’s not precept, as a result of my case was not investigated because it ought to have been”
Florence Rault, a lawyer employed by Ms. Darian to work on a brand new case, stated there was proof that had not been examined by investigators in final yr’s trial.
“There are components that had been completely not dropped at mild, that’s very clear. They erased a part of the file,” she stated.
Mr. Pelicot’s lawyer, Béatrice Zavarro, stated she was not stunned however had but to see the criticism that Ms. Rault stated contained 10 costs together with rape, tried rape, sexual assault and drugging somebody towards their will.
Already France’s most notorious sexual predator, Mr. Pelicot has been indicted for two other cold cases: the rape and homicide of a then 23-year-old lady in 1991, and the tried rape of a then 19-year-old lady in 1999.
Each girls had been actual property brokers attacked by a potential consumer utilizing a blade, and drugging them with ether whereas viewing properties. Mr. Pelicot admitted to drugging one of many girls, however denied any involvement within the homicide, based on investigative paperwork learn out in court docket in the course of the trial final yr.
Ségolène Le Stradic contributed reporting.
