Main Defendant in Group Rape Case of a Woman in France Will Not Appeal His Sentence

Lawyers for Dominique Polico, identified as the primary defendant in the case of the serial rape of his wife, Ghislaine Polico, who has been sentenced to the maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, state that he will not appeal this ruling. Beatrice Zavoro, Mr. Polico's lawyer, stated on Monday, December 10, that he has decided to avoid creating another tragic situation for his ex-wife, while also being aware that another trial with a jury could result in a longer prison sentence. The court on December 20 of this year condemned Dominique Polico and 50 other men for raping Mrs. Polico while she was administered sedatives. The court announced that between 2011 and 2020, Dominique Polico found other men on the internet to rape his wife and invited them to his home. Mr. Polico, who is 72 years old, was married to Ghislaine Polico for over 50 years. He was arrested in 2020 while filming under a woman's skirt in a supermarket, and police and prosecutors discovered recorded videos of the serial rapes of at least 50 men against Ghislaine Polico on his computer and mobile phone. Mr. Polico's lawyer stated on Monday, 'My client has decided against appealing the court's ruling because he does not want to repeat the tragic situation and confrontation with his ex-wife. At the same time, appealing the ruling while he has confessed to his crimes may lead to a harsher sentence.' The ruling against Mr. Polico was issued by a public court, with a jury present and by five judges. If an appeal is made against the initial ruling, a retrial will be held next year in the Court of Appeal in Nîmes, southern France, and the defendant's criminal case will be reviewed from the beginning. Although according to the law, Ghislaine Polico is not obliged to participate in the second trial, her lawyer stated, 'We will participate in the trial even though my client may not attend every day of the trial sessions.' Ghislaine Polico, 72 years old, waived her right to anonymity in the initial trial and requested that all documents, including horrific videos of the serial rapes by her ex-husband and other defendants, be broadcast in court. This trial has turned the revision of French laws regarding the rape of women in all forms, including within the family, into a serious national debate. The main issue that women's rights activists emphasize is the lack of 'the principle of women's consent' for establishing sexual relations in current laws. This trial has also severely questioned the approach of all responsible institutions towards rape and sexual harassment in France, where according to the latest research, about 94% of reported rapes to the police are forgotten without any effective action.