Paris

One of the 50 men who are alleged to have taken part in the years-long drugging and raping of French woman Gisele Pelicot has admitted to his guilt, saying he was "part of this nightmare."

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The man, identified in court documents as 44-year-old Lionel R, was speaking at the trial on a macabre case that shocked France. Apologising to Pelicot, he said in court on Thursday (Sep 19): "I have no choice but to accept the facts."

What is the case about?

Between 2011 and 2020, Pelicot was drugged by her now-former husband Dominique Pelicot into a 'deep coma' state. He then invited men to rape her in her bedroom in southern France. The accused, 50 men in total, are aged 26 to 74 and include a fireman, jailor, nurse and journalist.

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Dominique Pelicot had earlier admitted to connecting with strangers on online chatrooms and inviting them to rape her. He told the court he was “a rapist”, while claiming that all the men knew they were raping his unconscious wife.

Gisèle Pelicot wanted an open trial to raise awareness on use of drugs in rape and sexual abuse. Hundreds of women came out in support of her outside the court where the trial will continue into December.

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While some of the accused told the court they were told the woman was drugged and unconcious, some others said they thought they were part of a sex game oragnised by the husband.

Also read: 'Drugged and raped for decades,' Hundreds gather in support of Gisele Pelicot in France

What did the accused man tell court?

“Since I never obtained Mrs Pélicot’s consent, I have no choice but to accept the facts,” Lionel R, a fireman, told the court, admitting that the raped her on 2 December 2018.

“I am sorry, I can only imagine the nightmare you’ve lived through … and I am part of this nightmare," the father of three said, addressing Gisele.

"I know my apologies won’t change what happened, but I wanted to tell you that. If I had known she wasn’t aware ...I wouldn’t have gone there," The Guardian newspaper quoted him as saying.

Also read: 'Sexomnia' case: UK woman whose rape trial was dropped over rare sleep disorder wins huge payout

“I should have checked that she was OK with it. I didn’t talk to her, so I could not get her consent. I feel guilty for what I did.

“I never told myself: ‘I will rape that woman'," he said while admitting he was guilty of rape.

Lionel said he didn't ask too many questions, while there were mentions about medical drugs either taken by the woman herself, or administered by the then husband.

“I never imagined that she might not be part of this game. That was my first huge error, he added.”

(With inputs from agencies)