France rape trial husband ‘too unwell’ to take stand | BBC News

Warning: This story contains some distressing details.

A man accused of drugging his wife and allowing dozens of men to rape her on camera for almost a decade had been expected to take the stand in Southern France for the first time today.

However, it was announced that Dominique Pélicot was ‘too unwell’ to take the stand.

The trial of Dominique Pélicot and fifty others is being held in the city of Avignon.

Police identified at least 92 rapes committed by 72 men. Fifty were identified and charged and are standing trial alongside the husband.

Many defendants in the case contest the rape charge against them, claiming that they thought they were taking part in a consensual sex game.

But Gisèle Pélicot told the court she was "never complicit" in the sexual acts and had never pretended to be asleep.

Gisèle waived her right to anonymity to shift the "shame" back onto the accused, her legal team has previously said.

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