Court to Decide Fate in France's Largest Child Sex Abuse Case

In one of France's largest child sex abuse cases, a court is set to render its verdict against Joel Le Scouarnec, accused of raping and abusing 299 children over two decades. Le Scouarnec, already serving a 15-year sentence, is facing additional charges from incidents between 1989 and 2014 where he allegedly abused unconscious hospital patients.

The prosecution has demanded a 20-year sentence, citing societal failure by health authorities to act despite previous convictions against Le Scouarnec. Patterns of abuse were often dismissed due to bureaucratic oversight.

As child protection advocates seek reform, Le Scouarnec's trial continues to shake public confidence, with additional accusations emerging and a third trial looming to probe further into his past offenses.

(With inputs from agencies.)