AVIGNON, France: An affiliate of Frenchman Dominique Pelicot, who for a virtually a decade drugged his wife and invited dozens of men to rape her, admitted to copycat abuse of his personal accomplice on Wednesday (Sep 18), blaming his mentor and a troubled childhood.
Police have mentioned Jean-Pierre Marechal, 63, labored with Pelicot to drug and each rape Marechal’s spouse Cilia after assembly on a now-shuttered web site.
The trial of Pelicot and 50 different males accused of raping his spouse has shocked the world. It has additionally triggered protests throughout France in help of Gisele Pelicot, who has turn into a symbol of the fight against sexual violence.
In court docket on Tuesday, Pelicot admitted orchestrating the mass rape of his now-ex-wife. He requested for forgiveness, and mentioned he in the end hoped to win again his former accomplice, who filed for divorce after studying of the rapes from investigators.
Wednesday started with extra disturbing testimony, as Marechal described how he and his sisters suffered sexual abuse by the hands of his father.
He mentioned it was Pelicot who unlocked his interior demon.
“I remorse my actions. I really like my spouse,” Marechal mentioned within the courtroom. “If I had not met Mr Pelicot, I might have by no means dedicated this act. He was reassuring, like a cousin.”
Marechal shouldn’t be, nevertheless, accused of raping Gisele Pelicot, who is predicted to testify herself afterward Wednesday.
