FRANCE: A French court yesterday sentenced key figures in a mass paedophilia trial to up to 28 years in prison for their roles in a network that systematically raped and prostituted children in western France.
In the harrowing case, prosecutors said 45 children between the ages of six and 14 years were raped and abused by their parents, grandparents or acquaintances in a working-class neighbourhood of Angers from 1999 to 2002 - at times in exchange for small amounts of money, food, alcohol or cigarettes.
As defendants appeared one by one to hear their sentences, two leading figures were given 28-year terms: the grandfather of three victims and an alleged organiser of the ring.
Philippe V, the grandfather, had already been convicted in 1991 of raping his son. During the trial, he coldly stated that he "didn't give a damn" about his own children.
His son, Franck V, received an 18-year sentence. He was accused of allowing much of the abuse to occur at his apartment. His ex-wife, Patricia M, was given a 16-year term.
Pascal Rouiller, a lawyer who represented Franck V, had argued in the trial that state social workers were to blame for leaving dozens of children vulnerable to the ring that preyed on them.
The other defendant sentenced to 28 years, Eric J, an alleged organiser of the ring, was described by prosecutors as an "ogre". He was accused of raping or abusing 15 children.
Moise C, who had already been convicted twice on paedophilia charges, was found guilty of rape and sexual aggression.
Considered by prosecutors as one of the most dangerous defendants, he allegedly wore a mask to hide his face while raping children.
His sentence was not immediately announced.
"He needed to watch paedophile cassettes just to fall asleep," said prosecutor Yvan Auriel earlier this month.
The case surfaced in 2000, when a 16-year-old girl alleged she had been raped by her mother's boyfriend and his brother.
Three couples at the heart of the case lured their children and those of their friends, relatives and neighbours by saying they were going to "play doctor", according to the prosecution's 420-page legal filing charges. One girl was allegedly raped 45 times.
"The children cried and shouted," defendant Cathie H had tearfully testified as she described how she and others took part in the assaults on groups of children.
Defence lawyers had argued that some suspects were illiterate and appeared not to fully understand the charges they faced.
More than half of the accused, ages 27 to 73, were unemployed and living on welfare in state-supported housing.
The victims and suspects could not be identified by full names because of French laws designed to preserve the anonymity of child victims.
The defendants include 39 men and 26 women.