Joel Le Scouarnec, a former French surgeon, is on trial for abusing 299 patients, mostly children, between 1989 and 2014. He admitted to 'despicable acts' and acknowledged the lasting trauma inflicted on his victims. The trial, the largest child abuse case in French history, has revealed systemic failures in the medical profession that allowed his actions to continue. Many victims were unaware of the abuse until informed by police. The trial is expected to run until June, with some sessions closed to the public.