THE sick pensioner who recruited men to rape his wife had a disciple who copied his methods on how to drug and rape his own wife, a court heard.
Dominique Pelicot, 71, is on trial for repeatedly raping and recruiting men to rape his sedated wife Gisele over almost a decade.
The French OAP and the 50 others could be thrown behind bars for up to 20 years, having been charged with “aggravated rape” of Gisele.
The twisted husband dodged giving evidence in court after he was found “fainting” in his prison cell.
And as the shocking Avignon trial continues, the court heard how another man, named as Jean-Pierre, 63, was allegedly taught by Pelicot how to drug and rape his wife.
He is not among the 51 men on trial.
The former lorry driver claimed he spoke to Pelicot in an online chatroom.
The pensioner then provided sedatives for Jean Pierre’s wife- before travelling to rape her himself.
It was alleged that Jean-Pierre’s wife was raped 12 times between 2015 and 2020.
Investigator Stéphan Gal told the court: “Each time that [Pélicot] travelled [there], he provided him with the medication for the next time.”
Jean-Pierre’s 32-year-old son from another marriage said: “I have the firm conviction that had he not met this person, there would never have been any of this.”
The horrific case at Vaucluse Criminal Court rocked France since Gisele Pélicot, 72, waived her legal right to anonymity at the opening of Pelicot’s trial.
He allegedly invited 72 men he met online to assault his wife after slipping an anxiety medication into her food to knock her out.
He is said to have then filmed the horrid attacks over almost a decade between 2011 and 2020.
The retired electrician was expected to be cross-examined on Wednesday but is said to be in hospital receiving medical care.
But his legal team insisted on Thursday morning that he is not well enough to give evidence because of abdominal pain and a suspected bladder infection.
He briefly appeared in court on Wednesday morning, but defence barrister Beatrice Zavarro confirmed on Thursday that he was ‘still ill’ and would not be showing up.
Pélicot has been vomiting and fainting in his prison cell, where he has been on remand since 2020, in between visits to hospital for treatment and tests.
Ms Zavarro’s submissions were accepted by Roger Arata, the trial judge, who said: ‘He requires medical treatment and will be unable to attend court for the rest of this week at least.’
Prosecutions in France can be abandoned if a defendant is considered too physically or mentally ill to take part.
Judge Arata has continually stated that Pélicot is the lead defendent, and that he needs to be interrogated at length.
On Monday, psychologists described Pélicot as a “Jekyll and Hyde” character who drugged his wife so strangers could rape her at night.
He told detectives that, by day, he considered himself a “good husband” to Ms Pélicot, whom he married in 1971 and had three children with.
The couple’s divorce was finalised last month, and Ms Pélicot has sat in court throughout the trial so far, along with her adult children.
Pélicot’s daughter, Caroline Darian, 46, already took the stand and described her father as “one of the greatest sexual predators” in recent years.
Caroline was herself secretly photographed in the nude by her father, as were her two sisters-in-law while taking a bath, it emerged in court.
She also revealed the shocking moment her mum first told her of the harrowing ordeal.
Pélicot was first arrested in September 2020 for secretly filming up women’s skirts at a supermarket in Carpentras.
His devices were searched, and there were hundreds of photos and pornographic videos of women.
It was while in custody that Mr Pélicot reported a hard drive, hidden under a printer, which contained a file called “Abuses”.
It classified the nickname and telephone numbers of attackers, together with some 3,800 photos and videos of Gisèle Pélicot being raped, between 2011 and 2020.
Detectives have listed a total of 92 rapes committed by 72 men, 51 of whom have been identified.
Pélicot moved his family from greater Paris in 1991, and later allegedly set up the sex ring.
Alleged rapists involved in the case include civil servants, ambulance workers, soldiers, prison guards, nurses, a journalist, a municipal councillor, and truck drivers.
In a separate case, Pélicot has been charged with raping and murdering a 23-year-old estate agent in Paris in 1991.
He has admitted one attempted rape in 1999, after DNA testing proved a case against him.
The Avignon aggravated rape case is due to last until December 21.
Fourteen of the other defendants have admitted rape, while the rest deny any wrongdoing.
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
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 – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
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.
