The daughter of Dominique Pélicot, a Frenchman accused of drugging his wife and inviting strangers to rape her, left the courtroom in tears after it was revealed that her nude photos were found on his laptop. Caroline Darian, the 40-year-old daughter of the 71-year-old accused, stormed out of the trial when Judge Roger Arata disclosed that the images were stored in a file reportedly named “Around my daughter, naked.” She returned to the courtroom after a 20-minute break.
Antoine Camus, one of the family’s lawyers, commented on Darian’s distress: “Caroline had to leave. It was absolutely unbearable for her. Even if they are not hearing anything new… it was especially gruelling this morning.”
Darian’s photos were taken in 2013 at the family’s home near Paris. In 2022, after the criminal activities became known, she authored a book titled “And I Stopped Calling You Daddy.” Before learning of her father’s crimes, she viewed him as a “loving family man,” according to reports. The judge also read excerpts from her book during the proceedings, including a passage where Darian states, “I’m convinced I was drugged, but he’ll never admit it.”
Dominique Pélicot faces charges for drugging his wife, Gisele Pélicot, and then inviting strangers he met online to rape her. The investigation revealed that 51 other men were involved, with charges of aggravated or attempted rape against them.
The abuse, which began in 2011 and continued until 2020, came to light when Dominique was arrested for filming under a woman’s skirt at a shopping mall. The police discovered evidence of rape during their investigation and informed Gisele Pélicot. Authorities reported that 92 sexual assaults were committed by 72 men over a decade.
During the trial, Dominique displayed no emotion and did not acknowledge his family, as noted by a lawyer. Gisele Pélicot and her three children attended the court to witness the trial of their estranged husband.
