France rape trial: Chilling explanation for why man 'assaulted woman' on New Year's Eve

Andy Rodriquez, 1 of 50 men accused of raping Gisèle Pelicot, says helium was archetypal approached by her hubby Dominique, who asked if helium wanted to person enactment with his woman "while I watch"

A dad-of-two accused successful the French rape proceedings has told a tribunal claimed helium participated successful the alleged intersexual maltreatment connected New Year's Eve due to the fact that helium had "nothing other to do."

37-year-old Andy Rodriquez is 1 of 50 men accused of raping present 71-year-old Gisèle Pelicot aft she was drugged by her hubby Dominique, who for astir 10 years invited dozens of men to battle her arsenic she laic defenceless.

The workplace idiosyncratic told the tribunal successful Avignon that helium was an "alcoholic since 14 and a regular idiosyncratic of cocaine" arsenic helium admits to having enactment with the unfortunate but denies rape. Rodriguez admitted helium met Mrs Pelicot connected New Year's Eve astatine a location successful Mazan aft helium was approached successful a barroom by her husband.

Rodriguez, who was 31 astatine the clip and joined with 2 children, said: "I was successful a barroom erstwhile once a antheral approached maine and said 'My woman likes you, would you similar to slumber with her portion I watch? I agreed and it happened that aforesaid night, with Pelicot I met him New Year's Eve arsenic I had thing other to do.

"I had fallen retired with my brothers due to the fact that of my drinking and cause wont truthful I went to Pelicot's house. I ne'er had immoderate volition of raping Mrs Pelicot."

The fishy said helium had ne'er had a swinging acquisition earlier but aft exchanging messages helium was soon astatine the house. He added: "I'd had a bath, I'd enactment aftershave on, I'd got ready. An hr aft exchanging messages connected Coco.fr (swinging site) I was astatine his house." As the suspect gave his evidence, Gisèle sat listening and occasionally shaking her head, with her lad David adjacent to her.

It comes aft the tribunal heard the youngest antheral accused had enactment with "unconscious" Gisèle Pélicot connected the time his girl was born. Joan Kwai, who was calved successful Guyana but moved to France arsenic a teenager, was 23 erstwhile helium archetypal went to the location successful November 2019, the time his girl was born. He went backmost different clip and was owed to sojourn for a 3rd but it was cancelled by Pelicot.

Kwai, present 26, told investigators helium had not asked himself the question of whether Mrs Pelicot had consented. The images were shown to the tribunal of Ms Pélicot bare and conscious, successful "lewd" positions, and of her crotch. Before they were displayed, the woman's girl Caroline Darian near the courtroom successful Avignon, confederate France, astatine her mother's request.

But aft being confronted with the horrific photos, helium admitted that she was unconscious and that it was a rape. At the opening of the trial, helium said helium "recognised the facts, but not the intention".

Gisèle Pelicot, who was joined to her hubby for 50 years and shares 3 children with him, has go a leader to galore rape victims and a awesome of the combat against intersexual unit successful France for waiving her anonymity successful the case, letting the proceedings beryllium nationalist and appearing openly successful beforehand of the media.

The proceedings continues.