Final defendant says he was ‘surprised’ by situationpublished at 08:45 Greenwich Mean Time
Laura Gozzi
Reporting from court in Avignon
Warning: This post contains graphic details
The last of the 50 defendants to be heard is a 62-year-old man called Philippe L.
He says Dominique Pelicot got in touch after he posted on the now-shuttered Coco website in 2018 saying he was “looking for a kinky woman”.
Dominique Pelicot said he and his wife were interested in meeting up, so Philippe went over to the couple’s residence.
Once there, he was reportedly met by Dominique Pelicot who told him his wife would be asleep as she had taken sleeping pills as part of a sex game and encouraged him to touch her sexually.
Philippe says he was “surprised” by the situation and that he was “hesitant”, but that Dominique Pelicot insisted that he penetrate her.
As has been the case throughout the trial the president of the court, Roger Arata, reads a description of the video of the alleged rape.
It’s a very detailed and very graphic description of what was done to Gisèle Pelicot while she was unconscious. There are no sounds in the room beyond the tapping on keyboards.
Gisèle Pelicot and her family rest their heads against the wall as they listen. Her youngest son Florian closes his eyes.