‘I am part of this nightmare’: France mass rape accused makes rare apology

Rodriguez, 44, and a father of three, said on Thursday while addressing the 72-year-old Gisele Pelicot: “I am sorry, I can only imagine the nightmare you’ve lived through … and I am part of this nightmare. I know my apologies won’t change what happened, but I wanted to tell you that.”

The case has triggered protests across France in support of Gisele Pelicot, who asked for the trial not to be held behind closed doors to shed light on the abuse.

The fact dozens of seemingly ordinary men, now aged 26 to 74, and from all walks of life, could rape an unconscious woman has attracted worldwide attention and turned the trial into a symbol of the pervasiveness of sexual violence.

Rodriguez admitted during the investigation that he had raped Gisele Pelicot. In court on Thursday, he repeated he had not meant to rape her, but realises that he did.

“If I had known she wasn’t aware [of what would happen] I wouldn’t have gone there,” he said. “I should have checked that she was okay 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. But “I’m guilty of rape”, he said, adding he should have left when he saw she was unconscious, and that it was cowardly of him not to have said anything.

Rodriguez also tried to shift some of the blame to Dominique Pelicot, telling the court he had done what the husband had told him to do.