Paris school aide goes on trial for alleged sexual assault of kindergarteners

A French school aide appeared in a Paris court on Tuesday (May 26), accused of sexually assaulting kindergarten pupils in the first public trial to emerge from a wave of abuse allegations that has shaken the French capital. The defendant, David G., is a 36-year-old freelance journalist who took on work as a school aide to supplement his income. He faces charges of sexually assaulting five preschoolers aged three to five, as well as sexually harassing two female colleagues, in incidents alleged to have taken place between September 2024 and April 2025.

He has denied all charges. Four additional families have accused him of abusing their children in cases not reviewed by prosecutors but which will be referenced during proceedings.

The defendant arrived at the packed courtroom, shielding his face from photographers with a yellow document file. Dozens of activists gathered outside to protest before the trial began. "We're hoping for a real conviction, a harsh one, because there are so few when it comes to sexual assaults on children," said a woman named Anne, whose son attends the same school in Paris' 11th district.

If convicted, David G. faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $175,000. He acknowledged breaking guidelines, including a rule that adults supervising pupils should not have a child sit on their lap — but continues to deny the accusations against him.

The case is part of a broader crisis engulfing Paris schools. Investigators are examining allegations of mistreatment or abuse by non-teaching staff at 84 kindergartens and around 20 primary schools. In the first three months of 2026 alone, Paris suspended 78 aides, including 31 suspected of sexual abuse.

Paris' new mayor, Emmanuel Gregoire, who has publicly disclosed suffering sexual abuse himself during a primary school swimming programme, has announced dozens of suspensions and pledged to eradicate such violence. Three further trials involving non-teaching school staff are expected before early September.