Gisele Pelicot’s daughter tells ‘monster’ dad he will ‘die alone like a dog’ as family claims mass rape jail sentences ‘too low’
The children of Gisele Pelicot have claimed the jail sentences given to some of the men who raped their mother are “too low”, with some set to be released in just five years.
Yesterday, Dominique Pelicot was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being found guilty of orchestrating and participating in the mass rape of his ex-wife Gisele.
Gisele, 72, was unknowingly given a mix of sleeping pills and tranquillisers by her 71-year-old husband in a bid to knock her unconscious, so he could invite men he met online to come to his home in Mazan, near Avignon, to rape her.
Fifty-one men, including Dominique, were found guilty at the courthouse in Avignon.
The French court found 47 of them guilty of rape, two guilty of attempted rape and two guilty of sexual assault.
As the sentences were read out, Gisele’s children reacted with disapproval to some of the verdicts.
When sentences of five years were given out to four of the men, one of Gisele’s children shouted: “It’s not possible.”
“The children are disappointed by these low sentences,” said a family member, who asked not to be identified, after the verdict.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
- Gisele Pelicot cheered following jailing of ‘Monster of Avignon’ – ‘I have no regrets’
- Dominique Pelicot given maximum sentence as judge issues verdicts for 50 men in mass rape trial
- Trial of husband who drugged wife so other men could rape her SUSPENDED after he suffered ‘intense pain’ in court
Dominique was found guilty of aggravated rape, attempted aggravated rape of the wife of one of the co-accused, Jean Pierre Marechal, Cillia, and taking indecent images of his daughter, Caroline, and his daughters-in-law, Aurore and Celine.
As Dominique’s sentence was read out, his daughter Caroline Darian yelled at him: “You will die alone like a dog in jail!”
Dominique had already pleaded guilty to the charges during the trial.
Prosecutors asked that he get the maximum penalty after he admitted to drugging his wife of 50 years, and allowing other men to rape her whilst he filmed it.
His lawyer said that no decision had yet been made on whether Pelicot will lodge an appeal, which he can do within the next ten days.
Speaking outside the court following the sentencing, Gisele said that the trial had been a “very difficult ordeal” but thanked those who supported her throughout.
Asked by a reporter what her thoughts on today’s sentencing were, she said: “I respect the courts and I respect the decisions.”
She added that she never regretted waiving her right to anonymity and “opening the doors” to the trial so that society could see what took place.