Suspected paedophile ring boss ‘raped his children’

A MAN charged with raping his three children tried to pin blame on his father in a child sex trial that has shocked France.

Franck V, a suspected leader of a massive paedophile ring, admitted yesterday he had not always behaved properly with his children.

"I am going tell you frankly: it's not easy to speak. I know I'm going to be convicted," he said.

Franck V faces 20 years in prison if convicted of raping, sexually abusing and forcing his children into prostitution. He cannot be identified by his full name because of French laws preserving the anonymity of child victims.

He said he had seen his father, Philippe V, abuse his children.

"My father did some sexual fondling. I didn't know everything because I wasn't always there," he said. The defendant, charged with 15 rapes including of his three children and 18 acts of sexual abuse, said he had "taken a pill for nerves so I don't lose my mind" before the proceedings.

He acknowledged having fondled his children once, but denied sexual abusing others or repeat offences.

Another suspect, Martine D, the mother of two alleged victims, said she took her children to Franck V's home said to be the hub of the paedophilia and had sex with him herself.

"I saw him caressing his own children," she said, weeping and complaining of gaps in her memory.

She said she too was on medication.

The case became known in 2000 when a 16-year-old girl alleged she had been raped by her mother's boyfriend and his brother.

In all, 39 men and 27 women are accused of participating in a paedophilia ring in which babies and children were allegedly raped, sexually abused and prostituted by their parents for food or money.

Investigators say they found 45 children from six months to 14 years old were raped and sexually abused from 1999 to 2002 by parents and others, in some cases in exchange for money, food, cigarettes or alcohol. Some of the alleged abusers are accused of playing games of "doctor" with the children.

More than half of the accused, aged 27 to 73, were unemployed and living off benefits in state-supported housing. If convicted, they face sentences ranging from three years to life.

The 66 defendants have answered questions about their backgrounds and personal histories since the trial began in March in Angers.

Yesterday's hearing marked the start of a phase in which the defendants will be asked about the alleged crimes. The court has already heard videotaped testimony from the children allegedly abused.

The trial is expected to end in July.