Key facts
- A bodyguard is on trial in France for allegedly sedating and raping his partner.
- Investigators are examining the bodyguard's online contact with Dominique Pelicot, a convicted sex offender.
- Pelicot was found guilty of drugging his wife and inviting dozens of men to rape her.
- The bodyguard faces charges including sedating his partner, rape, and filming her.
- The bodyguard has also admitted to possessing and distributing child abuse imagery.
A bodyguard from Lyon is facing trial for allegedly sedating and raping his partner, with investigators probing his online contact with Dominique Pelicot, a notorious sex offender. Pelicot is serving a 20-year sentence after being convicted in 2024 for drugging his wife and facilitating her rape by dozens of men over nearly a decade.
The accused bodyguard, who previously worked for high-profile clients, reportedly sought to benefit from Pelicot's "experience." Investigators discovered communications between the two in 2020. The bodyguard, arrested in 2023, denies the charges of sedating, raping, and filming his partner, with his lawyer arguing that the contact with Pelicot does not imply he was a "disciple."
The investigation established that the victim experienced prolonged fatigue, heart issues, dizziness, and blackouts over three years without understanding the cause. The court will aim to determine the extent of the contact between the bodyguard and Pelicot and whether advice was sought on drugging and abuse. The bodyguard has also pleaded guilty to separate charges related to the possession and distribution of child abuse imagery. The trial is expected to conclude on Friday.