A TWISTED friend of the Monster of Avignon drugged and raped his own wife after taking advice from the warped rapist, a court heard.
The sick “disciple” of Dominque Pelicot admitted to copycat abuse of his own partner – blaming his mentor and a troubled childhood.
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Police said Jean-Pierre Marechal, 63, worked with Pelicot to drug and both rape his wife Cilia after meeting on a now-shuttered website Coco.
Prosecutors allege Pelicot shared with him images of the rapes of his wife by the men he had recruited, describing how he had drugged her.
Marechal said he stumbled across the website by accident and initially refused Pelicot’s request to rape his wife.
Prosecutors say Pelicot drugged Marechal’s wife and raped her while Marechal watched.
Marechal is not, however, accused of raping Pelicot’s wife Gisele.
Retired truck driver Marechal – who has defended his actions by blaming the sexual abuse he suffered as a child – has admitted the offences.
He said he “regrets” his actions in court.
Marechal – whose wife has not divorced him “for the sake of the children – said: “I love my wife, I am in prison I deserve it but will do my best to get better.
“I was a rapist, a criminal, I committed criminal acts.
“If I had not met Mr Pelicot, I would have never committed this act.
“He was reassuring, like a cousin.”
Cilia, 54, has five children with Marechal and has stuck by him, not filing a criminal complaint.
By contrast, brave Gisele Pelicot, 72, insisted on a public trial in an attempt to expose her former husband and the 50 men he is accused of recruiting to rape her.
The trial has shocked the world and triggered protests across France in support of Gisele, who has become a symbol of the fight against sexual violence.
After dodging giving evidence due to poor health, Dominique Pelicot, 71, took the stand at the Vaucluse Criminal Court, in Avignon, on Tuesday.
He admitted orchestrating the mass rape of his now-ex-wife.
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Pelicot asked for forgiveness, and said he ultimately hoped to win back his former partner, who filed for divorce after learning of the rapes from investigators.
The vile grandfather made the warped claim he recruited scores of men to rape his wife because he was “utterly idle” in retirement.
Asked by a defence lawyer how he “picked up dozens of strangers” to rape his wife, Pelicot said: “I didn’t pick anyone up, they came and got me themselves.
“They asked me and I said yes. They agreed and came to my home. I didn’t handcuff anyone to my home.”
He told the court there was a tripod and camera in the bedroom, “for all to see”, and that he respected everyone who turned up.
Pelicot said: “I trusted these men who knew why they were coming.”
Gisele today accused her attackers of being “degenerates” as she once more gave evidence that could see her ex-husband jailed for life, along with 50 other men.
The trial at the Vaucluse Criminal Court has seen the so-called ‘Monster of Avignon’ portayed as one of the worst sex offenders in recent French history.
But Gisele has been listening to insults from some of the defendants in court, including ones who say she was complicit with the Monster.
“Not for a second did I give my consent to Mr Pelicot, nor to these men who are behind me,” she said.
“Since I arrived in this courtroom, I have been humiliated. I have been called an alcoholic, an accomplice of Mr Pelicot.
“I have heard everything. You have to have a degree of patience to endure everything I have to hear.”
As her cross-examination continued, Gisele raised her voice, stared at the accused, and said: “For me, they are degenerates.”
How you can get help
Women’s Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – [email protected].
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.