The trial of a man who is accused of drugging his wife and inviting men to rape her was at risk of collapse after the defendant became too ill to attend court. Dominique Pelicot, 71, is accused of organising for strangers - aged between 26 and 74 - to come to his home in the French village of Mazan, near Avignon, to rape his wife, Gisele Pelicot , a court heard. He is said to have filmed the assaults, which took place between and with prosecutors saying some 92 rapes took place, carried out by 72 men.
Pelicot is facing a jail sentence of up to 20 years, along with 50 other defendants, accused of the "aggravated rape" of Gisele Pelicot, also 71, over almost a decade. However, the judge announced on Wednesday evening the defendant was so ill he would be unable to attend court until Monday at the earliest.
The testimony of the year-old has twice been postponed this week after he was taken to hospital suffering a suspected bladder infection. Judge Roger Arata said: "Mr Pelicot's health has deteriorated. He requires medical treatment and will be unable to attend court for the rest of this week. Pelicot's lawyer Beatrice Zavarro called for a full medical examination, saying: "I met Mr Pelicot lying down in prison. Physically, he is here, but probably not in a fit state to take part in the proceedings in a calm manner.
Pecliot was briefly in attendance on Wednesday before Judge Arata called for him to leave, confirming he had been "suffering with pain" in his intestines first reported on Monday.
The court was told the trial would continue with evidence heard against other defendants for the rest of the day and on Thursday morning. There was dissatisfaction in the court as Ms Zavarro insisted Pecliot's absence was not a "ploy". She said: "Let's be clear about this. Mr Pelicot will not be avoiding his own trial. He will reply to all the questions, but he can't control what happens to his body.
