Latest news with #LeScouarnec
Metro
10-07-2025
- Metro
Lawyer ‘killed himself' after defending ‘worst paedophile who ever lived'
The lawyer who defended 'the worst mass paedophile who has ever lived' has died in an apparent suicide, a prosecutor has said. Maxime Tessier, 34, defended Joel Le Scouarnec, 74, dubbed 'the devil in a white coat' who raped hundreds of patients under the age of 15 between 1989 and 2014. They are made up of 158 men and 141 women who had an average age of 11 when they were allegedly attacked in hospitals across the country. Lawyer Maxime has since been found dead, with chief prosecutor Frederic Teillet, from the western French city of Rennes, saying: 'Everything points to suicide.' Maxime was one of two lawyers who defended the rapist, who is considered one of the most notorious in criminal history. His associate Catherine Glon said he 'had a very high regard for justice and was therefore very demanding towards himself'. Le Scouarnec usually attacked his victims, with the youngest being just four, while they were under the effects of anaesthesia. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, but many of his victims said he should be jailed for longer. Thomas Delaby, a barrister representing one of his victims, described Le Scouarnec as an 'atomic bomb of paedophilia'. He added: 'Your victims will never forgive you.' He was put on trial this year after police found evidence, including child sized sex dolls chained up in his home and thousands of child abuse images. Back in 2005, he was handed a suspended four-month prison sentence for possessing child pornography, but managed to secure a job as a surgeon at a public hospital in Quimperle, western France, the following year. He continued to work in public hospitals until his re-arrest 12 years later on suspicion of raping his six-year-old neighbour. He abused young patients across 10 hospitals and clinics over the span of 25 years. More Trending She told her parents that 'the man with a crown of white hair' had exposed himself and sexually touched her through a broken garden fence. Police searched his home, uncovering a cache of dolls, wigs and 300,000 pictures and 650 paedophilic, zoophilic and scatological videos. Notebooks where Le Scouarnec detailed his sexual assaults on scores of patients were also found. In one handwritten note hidden under a mattress, the doctor is alleged to have written: 'I am a paedophile and I always will be.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Man, 24, drowns after falling into paddling pool with just nine inches of water MORE: Mystery after missing paddleboarder's body found in 'unusual' position on secluded lake MORE: 17-year-old 'white' boy arrested in counter terror operation in Wales
Scottish Sun
09-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Lawyer who defended ‘worst paedophile in history' who raped hundreds of children dies in suicide just weeks after trial
Tessier had been one of two lawyers defending Le Scouarnec LAWYER DEAD Lawyer who defended 'worst paedophile in history' who raped hundreds of children dies in suicide just weeks after trial Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE lawyer for a French surgeon dubbed one of country's worst sex offenders in history has died in an apparent suicide, a prosecutor has said. Maxime Tessier, 34, had defended Joel Le Scouarnec, 74, who admitted at his trial to sexually assaulting or raping hundreds of patients between 1989 and 2014. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Lawyer of retired surgeon Joel Le Scouarnec, Maxime Tessier waits in the Criminal Court Credit: AFP 2 Le Scouarnec, who is considered one of the most egregious sex offenders in French criminal history Credit: France 3 Bretagne Many of Le Scouarnec's 298 victims were children. He was sentenced by a French court to to 20 years in prison back in May. Frederic Teillet, chief prosecutor in the western French city of Rennes, said that an investigation had been started into the lawyer's death. "Everything points to suicide," Teillet said. Catherine Glon, his associate, said he "had a very high regard for justice and was therefore very demanding towards himself." Tessier had been one of two lawyers defending Le Scouarnec, who is considered one of the most egregious sex offenders in French criminal history.
The Irish Sun
09-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Lawyer who defended ‘worst paedophile in history' who raped hundreds of children dies in suicide just weeks after trial
THE lawyer for a French surgeon dubbed one of country's worst sex offenders in history has died in an apparent suicide, a prosecutor has said. Maxime Tessier, 34, had defended Joel Le Scouarnec, 74, who admitted at his trial to sexually assaulting or raping hundreds of patients between 1989 and 2014. 2 Lawyer of retired surgeon Joel Le Scouarnec, Maxime Tessier waits in the Criminal Court Credit: AFP 2 Le Scouarnec, who is considered one of the most egregious sex offenders in French criminal history Credit: France 3 Bretagne Many of Le Scouarnec's 298 victims were children. He was sentenced by a French court to to 20 years in prison back in May. Frederic Teillet, chief prosecutor in the western French city of Rennes, said that an investigation had been started into the lawyer's death. "Everything points to suicide," Teillet said. Catherine Glon, his associate, said he "had a very high regard for justice and was therefore very demanding towards himself." Tessier had been one of two lawyers defending Le Scouarnec, who is considered one of the most egregious sex offenders in French criminal history .
LeMonde
09-07-2025
- LeMonde
French lawyer who defended child abuser surgeon Le Scouarnec dies in apparent suicide
A lawyer for Joel Le Scouarnec, a French surgeon who sexually abused and raped patients over decades, has died in an apparent suicide, a prosecutor said Wednesday. Maxime Tessier, 34, defended Le Scouarnec, 74, who confessed at his trial to sexually assaulting or raping 298 patients between 1989 and 2014, many of them children. A French court sentenced Le Scouarnec to 20 years in prison in May. "Everything points to suicide," Frederic Teillet, chief prosecutor in the western French city of Rennes, said of the lawyer's death, adding that an investigation had started. Tessier, a father of two young children, "had a very high regard for justice and was therefore very demanding towards himself," said Catherine Glon, his associate. Tessier was one of two lawyers defending Le Scouarnec, one of the most infamous sex predators in French criminal history. Child rights advocates say the case had highlighted systemic failures that allowed Le Scouarnec to repeatedly commit sexual crimes. A prosecutor in the case called the former doctor "the devil (...) dressed in a white coat." He abused many victims while they were under anesthesia or waking up after operations.
Straits Times
09-07-2025
- Straits Times
Lawyer of sex abuse surgeon in France dies in apparent suicide
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Lawyer Maxime Tessier represented jailed French surgeon Joel Le Scouarnec, who confessed at his trial to sexually assaulting or raping 298 patients between 1989 and 2014, many of them children. RENNES, France - A lawyer for Joel Le Scouarnec, a French surgeon who sexually abused and raped patients over decades, has died in an apparent suicide, a prosecutor said on July 9. Mr Maxime Tessier, 34, defended Le Scouarnec, 74, who confessed at his trial to sexually assaulting or raping 298 patients between 1989 and 2014, many of them children. A French court sentenced Le Scouarnec to 20 years in prison in May. 'Everything points to suicide,' Mr Frederic Teillet, chief prosecutor in the western French city of Rennes, said of the lawyer's death, adding that an investigation had started. Mr Tessier, a father of two young children, 'had a very high regard for justice and was therefore very demanding towards himself', said Ms Catherine Glon, his associate. He was one of two lawyers defending Le Scouarnec, one of the most infamous sex predators in French criminal history. Child rights advocates say the case had highlighted systemic failures that allowed Le Scouarnec to repeatedly commit sexual crimes. A prosecutor in the case called the former doctor 'the devil... dressed in a white coat'. He abused many victims while they were under anaesthesia or waking up after operations. AFP A February 2025 photo shows retired surgeon Joel Le Scouarnec (right) arriving for a court hearing. PHOTO: AFP
