Family members of a French surgeon have revealed a shocking duality in the character of Joël Le Scouarnec, who is accused of raping or sexually assaulting 299 young patients while they were either sedated or recovering from medical procedures.

As the trial proceeds in the French city of Vannes in Brittany, the alleged victims awaited testimony from Le Scouarnec’s former wife, while relatives described the stark contrasts in his personality.

“It’s like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: we were familiar with one side, but not the other,” remarked Le Scouarnec’s middle son, expressing a desire to distinguish the man on trial from the father he once knew.

On Wednesday, the third day of what has been dubbed France’s most extensive abuse trial, a cousin testified about visiting Le Scouarnec in prison, where he is serving a 15-year sentence for the abuse of four children.

“I find it hard to believe that you are wholly a paedophile, even if you may be,” stated a woman named Martine, noting that she perceives two distinct individuals within him.

Le Scouarnec faces allegations of abuse spanning from 1989 to 2014, with 256 of the alleged victims being under 15 years old—among them, the youngest was just one year old.

The court has also heard about a culture of silence, or omertà, within the Le Scouarnec family, where incidents of incest and abuse were known but remained unreported.

Earlier in the trial, Le Scouarnec’s second son, now 42, revealed his own traumatic experiences, recounting abuse by his paternal grandfather at ages five, nine, and ten.

“Those images will haunt me for a lifetime,” he shared. “The abuse occurred multiple times, whether in the bedroom, at home, or in front of the television.”

When the court president, Aude Buresi, inquired whether he had confronted his grandfather or reported the abuse, he replied, “No. I question myself every day about it. I even attended his funeral.”

Le Scouarnec’s brother, Patrick, 70, spoke in court, recalling their childhood bond but noting that Joël was often loner with few friends. He suggested that Joël’s ex-wife, Marie-France, must have had knowledge of the alleged misconduct.

“She was aware of her husband’s actions and chose to remain silent,” Patrick asserted.

Le Scouarnec maintained meticulous handwritten records of his alleged abuses, documenting victims’ names, addresses, dates, and locations of the offenses. Remarkably, he continued his medical practice in various hospitals across Brittany despite a prior 2005 conviction for possession of child abuse images, which resulted in a four-month suspended sentence.

In 2020, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of assaulting four children.

On the first day of his current trial, Le Scouarnec admitted to committing “hideous acts”.

Marie-France has repeatedly insisted that she remained unaware of her husband’s alleged abuses. However, a letter she wrote to a friend, revealed in court, from seven years prior to his arrest read: “I ask you to protect my son, the only one who is oblivious to his father’s past.”

On Wednesday, several victims left the room where the trial was being broadcast, as it was too burdensome to hear one of Le Scouarnec’s few friends dismiss the allegations as mere “tittle-tattle.”

Judge Buresi denied a request to pause the proceedings, indicating that more challenging moments are likely ahead.

The trial is anticipated to last approximately four months.