Their ages ranged from 22 to early 70s. A nurse, a journalist, a soldier, a lorry driver, a councillor and a prison warden among them.
They are said to be “everyday men” with little in common.
And yet these men share one monumental fact in common. They participated in the abuse of Gisele Pelicot over ten years, with all 51 receiving guilty verdicts in a French courtroom tonight.
They also share the fact they mostly live within fifty kilometres of the Pelicot house where the abuse occurred, highlighting an alarming proportion of men within a small area radius who responded to the call to rape an unconscious woman. One even lived next door.
The guilty verdicts of 51 men were read in a courtroom in Avignon last night, putting a close to a case that has shocked the world and united solidarity around the incredibly courageous Gisèle Pelicot. Gisele waived her right to anonymity in a bid to raise awareness of the use of drugs in rape. Speaking after the verdicts, she said she “never regretted” giving up her anonymity, which included her request that the videos of the abuse recorded by her husband were shown in court.
“I now have confidence in our ability to collectively seize a future in which each woman and man can live in harmony with respect and mutual understanding. I thank you,” she said.
Dominique Pelicot, Gisele’s former husband who orchestrated the crimes, drugging his wife so that men he recruited online could come into their home and rape her, was the first to be found guilty.
He was found guilty of rape and of making and distributing images of his wife. He was also found guilty of making and distributing sexual images of his adult daughter Caroline, as well as the wives of his two sons.
There were cheers and cries of joy heard in the room, according to reporters as the verdicts were read out.
One after another, the names of the men were read, and their verdicts shared. Forty seven were found guilty of rape, two were found guilty of attempted rape and two guilty of sexual assault.
Some had already been detained previously on domestic violence charges. One was already serving time for raping and stalking ex girlfriends.
After the verdicts, the sentences of all 51 men were shared.
Dominique Pelicot was sentenced to the maximum twenty years.
The others received sentences of between three and 15 years, which was below the terms sought by prosecutors of between four and 18 years. One was sentenced in absentee, as he is on the run. Most received sentences of between eight to ten years.
Three of the men were given deferred sentences due to their health. Six were released due to time already served. Eight of the 41 men who received prison sentences were already behind bars during the trial.
There are other men who were recruited to abuse Pelicot who remain at large. Police are believed to be searching for at least another twenty.
There were reports the children of Pelicot appeared unhappy hearing the length of some of the sentences and anger has been expressed by women’s rights groups in France over the fact they did not receive the maximum penalties prosecutors had sought.
Anger was especially reserved for Jean-Pierre Marechal, who had followed the lead of Pelicot and drugged and raped his own wife for five years. He was given 12 years, five short of the 17 prosecutors requested. He had invited Pelicot to rape his wife, which Pelicot was also convicted of doing.
Before the verdicts, Gisele was greeted by rousing applause as she arrived at the courtroom, where her lawyers and three adult children beside her. The children have rejected their father’s pleas for forgiveness. Their father was found guilty of distributing photos of his daughter, as well as photos of the wives of his sons.
Pelicot walked with the same unshakeable courage that she showed throughout the trial, as many of those who raped her walked in and out of court wearing face coverings.
She also wore the silk scarf of an Indigenous design sent by an Australian non-profit, the Older Women’s Network, and crafted by First Nations woman Mulyatingki Marney.
And she was greeted by supporters who had gathered outside holding placards including messages of gratitude for the 72-year-old grandmother of seven. Large banners saying ‘Merci Giselle’ have been erected across buildings close to the courtroom.
The men had also been allowed to make a final statement.
Around half declined to or say anything – with a large number denying during the trial they had been guilty of rape and claiming they had thought they were participating in consensual sex and claiming that it wasn’t raped if the husband approved.
But before the verdicts yesterday, a number shared statements addressing what they had done and asking forgiveness.
The 46-year-old Jerome V declared he would not appeal “whatever sentence” he is given out of respect for Gisele not having to endure a new trial. He attended Gisele’s home six times. He was found guilty of aggravated rape and sentenced to 13 years.
While many of the men had attempted to retain their anonymity by wearing face coverings in and out of court during the trial, their full names were read in court and can now be reported.
Police had found more than 20,000 images and videos of the abuse of Gisele, which came to their attention in 2020 when Dominique Pelicot had been caught trying to take photographs up the skirts of women in a supermarket.
Based on the evidence, police believe 72 men had been recruited and gone to the house to rape and abuse Gisele. Fifty have now been sentenced, including one on the run. The others remain at large.
Who are the 51 men?
Jean-Pierre Marechal guilty of attempted rape and aggravated rape of his wife, as well as drugging his wife for five years, after following the lead of Dominique Pelicot. Sentenced to 12 years.
Charly Arbo guilty of aggravated rape. He was sentenced to 13 years and was one of the youngest accused at just 22 when he arrived at the Pelicot’s home to rape Gisele. He went to the home six times.
Christian Lescole found guilty of aggravated rape and acquitted of having child abuse materials. Sentenced to nine years, having been in jail since 2021.
Cyrille Delville found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to eight years.
Florian Rocca found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to seven years.
Jacques Cubeau found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to five years.
Nicolas Francois found guilty of aggravated rape and having child abuse imagery. Sentenced to eight years.
Simoné Mekenese found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to nine years. He lived next door to the Pelicots.
Thierry Parisis has been found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to eight years.
Patrice Nicolle has been found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to eight years.
Nizar Hamida has been found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to ten years.
Boris Moulin has been found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to eight years
Dominique Davies found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to 13 years.
Jerome Vilela has been found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to 13 years, has been in jail since 2021.
Didier Sambuchi found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to five years.
Cyprien Culieras found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to six years, has eight prior convictions.
Mathieu Dartus found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to seven years.
Quentin Hennebert found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to five years, with two suspended.
Cyril Beaubis found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to nine years.
Philippe Leleu is found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to five years, with two suspended.
Jean-Luc LA is found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to 10 years, has been in jail since 2023.
Fabien Sotton is found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to 11 years, already has a criminal record that includes domestic violence and sexual assault of a minor. Has been in jail since 2021.
Karim Sebaoui found guilty of aggravated rape and having child abuse imagery. Sentenced to 10 years.
Redouane Azougagh is found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to nine years, has prior convictions of domestic violence.
Joan Kawai found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to 10 years. Has been in jail since 2021. The BBC reports he went to the Pelicots house the same night his daughter was born.
Jean-Marc LeLoup found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to six years.
Andy Rodriguez found guilty of attempted rape and aggravating factors. Sentenced to six years. Has previously spent time in jail on domestic violence charges.
Vincent Coullet found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to 10 years, and has been previously detained for domestic violence.
Adrien Longeron found guilty of aggravated rape and child abuse imagery. Sentenced to six years, has been in jail since 2020, for raping and stalking three girlfriends, according to the BBC.
Hughes Malago is found guilty of attempted rape and two aggravating factors. Sentenced to five years.
Ahmed Tbarik found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to eight years.
Paul-Koikoi Grovogui found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to eight yeas.
Omar Douiri is found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to eight years.
Husamettin Dogan is found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to nine years.
Romain Vandevelde is found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to 15 years, has been in jail since 2021.
Joseph Cocco found guilty of aggravated sexual assault. Sentenced to four years.
Hassan Ouamou is found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to 12 years. Currently on the run in Morocco.
Redouane El Farihi found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to eight years.
Saifeddine Ghabi is acquitted of rape and attempted rape. He is found guilty of sexual assault. Sentenced to three years.
Jean Tirano found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to eight years.
Mohamed Rafaa is found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to eight years, has been in jail since 2021.
Ludovick Blemeur is found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to seven years, had a three month old baby daughter when he went to the Pelicots, according to the BBC.
Patrick Aron is found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to six years but freed due to medical issues and will need to go to a specialist jail.
Abdelali Dallal found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to eight years, but freed due to medical issues and will need to go specialist prison.
Grégory Serviol found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to eight years.
Cedric Grassot is found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to 12 years.
Cendric Venzin is found guilty of aggravated rape. Sentenced to nine years.