Court delays verdict in French paedophile trial

A court today delayed releasing its verdict in a paedophilia trial that scandalised France after 65 defendants – including relatives of some of the victims – were charged with molesting, raping and prostituting infants and young children.

It was not clear how long the delay would last.

The nine-person jury, which had to pore over 1,972 questions related to the defendants’ alleged crimes, returned to deliberate over two questions that it had overlooked, judge Eric Marechal said.

Delivery of the verdict at the court in Angers was expected to last about two hours, with decisions on each defendant being read individually.

It had originally been scheduled to begin at 1.30pm (12.30pm Irish Time).

Prosecutors said 45 children between the ages of six months and 14 years were raped and abused by their parents, grandparents or acquaintances in a working-class neighbourhood of the western town of Angers from 1999 to 2002.