‘German Gisele Pelicot’ trial begins as man, 61, is accused of drugging, raping and
A 61-year-old man accused of drugging, raping and filming his wife for 15 years has gone on trial, in a case drawing chilling comparisons to that of French woman Gisele Pelicot.
The trial at the Regional Court of Aachen, which opened on November 11, echoes Pelicot’s ordeal, where she was drugged and abused by her husband and dozens of other men for almost a decade.
The accused, named as Fernando S., allegedly sedated his wife with medication between 2009 and the spring of 2024 before sexually assaulting her and recording the attacks.
Prosecutors said the caretaker also shared the footage with other men in online chat groups and on internet platforms.
Investigators reportedly found extensive video material showing the assaults and other secret recordings of his wife in states of undress.
According to local media, Fernando S. used messaging platforms such as Telegram, where thousands of users traded intimate images and in some cases offered their partners to others for abuse.
The case at the Regional Court of Aachen, which opened on 11th November, echoes Pelicot’s ordeal, where she was drugged and abused by her husband and dozens of other men for almost a decade. Pictured: Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia
He has been charged with six counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, one count of aggravated assault, and 30 counts of violating the most intimate sphere of personal life through the taking of photographs.
According to a court spokeswoman, the aggravated assault charge relates to an incident in which the defendant allegedly sedated his wife.
She was reportedly in such a poor condition afterward that she required medical treatment.
Fernando S. has been held in custody since his arrest in February and previously worked as a caretaker at a school in Alsdorf. He was born in Spain and moved to Germany in the 1960s.
On the first day of the trial, he limped into court with a hood pulled low over his face to conceal his identity.
The public was excluded from the hearing shortly after it began to protect the victim’s privacy.
According to local media, the defendant confessed to most of the acts behind closed doors.
The trial is expected to continue over several sessions, with a verdict anticipated in mid-December.