Yesterday at the culmination of a months-long trial in Avignon, they were convicted and received sentences of between three and 15 years.
Cyrille Delville, 54
Trained as a butcher, Delville was found guilty of raping Gisèle Pelicot in her home in September 2019 and sentenced to eight years in prison. Delville's partner, the mother of his children, was on holiday at the time of the crime. In court, Delville admitted rape, saying he had realised later that he had not gained Gisèle Pelicot's consent, only her husband's. He said she was clearly unconscious but that her husband was "insistent" and said that while in prison he had understood that "women do not belong to men". Gisèle Pelicot's lawyer said video evidence showed the rape had put her life in danger as she risked not being able to breathe.
Lionel Rodriguez, 44
A worker at the Pelicots' local supermarket in Carpentras, Rodriguez was a married father of three when he made contact with Dominique Pelicot. He admitted raping Gisèle Pelicot at her home on 2 December 2018 but said he had not intended to commit rape. Rodriguez was found guilty of rape and jailed for eight years.
Turning to Gisèle Pelicot, he said: "I am sorry, I can only imagine the nightmare you've lived through... and I am part of this nightmare." The court heard that Dominique Pelicot had previously taken Gisèle Pelicot shopping at the supermarket so that Rodriguez could see if he was attracted to her.
Jacques Cubeau, 72
A former fire officer who had worked as a truck driver and then owned a pizzeria, Cubeau had been married for 25 years and had two children.
He was found guilty of rape and sentenced to five years in prison, three of them suspended.
This story is from the December 20, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the December 20, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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