French paedophile surgeon says he is 'responsible' for deaths of two victims

Joel Le Scouarnec, who has been on trial since February, has admitted to sexually abusing hundreds of patients.

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Joel Le Scouarnec, a former surgeon on trial in France who has admitted to sexually abusing hundreds of patients, mostly under age, said he considers himself "responsible" for the death of two of his victims.

Over the last few weeks, the court was shown the photos of two people whose relatives say died by suicide, following the trauma of being sexually assaulted by Le Scouarnec when they were children.

One is not being named; the other is Mathias Vinet, who died at in 2021 after struggling with addiction. His grandparents told the BBC they blame Le Scouarnec for his death.

"I keep the memory of those two photos, [shown] right towards the end, during the last examinations," the former surgeon said. "They died, and I am responsible."