Pelicot's son tells rape trial of family's 'devastation'

Gisèle Pelicot's children yesterday described their "devastation" to learn that their father had drugged their mother and invited dozens of men to rape her, begging him in court to tell the truth about whether he had abused other members of the family.

- Angelique Chrisafis

David Pelicot, 50, the couple's oldest son, told the court in Avignon he believed his sister, Caroline Darian, 45, when she said she felt certain that she too had been drugged and abused by Dominique Pelicot after photos were found on his computer of her asleep in bed in underwear that she did not recognise as her own.

Turning to his father, who sat looking on in the glass-fronted dock, David Pelicot said: "If you have any little bit of humanity left, tell the truth on what you did to my sister."

Dominique Pelicot shouted that he had never abused his daughter or any of his grandchildren. He asked for forgiveness from his son, who replied: "Never."