Dominique Pelicot has admitted all the charges against him – drugging and raping his wife and recruiting dozens of men to rape her. Prosecutors want the judges to hand him the maximum 20-year jail term for aggravated rape.
“I am a rapist,” he has told the judges. “I acknowledge all the facts [of the case] in their entirety.” He has begged his ex-wife and three children for forgiveness, but his actions have torn the Pelicot family apart.
The other defendants come from all walks of life and most of them are from a 50km (30-mile) radius of the Pelicots’ village of Mazan. The fact they are firefighters, security guards and lorry drivers has earned them the name Monsieur-Tout-Le-Monde (Mr Everyman). Most of them have children too.
Fifty of the 51 are accused of aggravated rape and attempted rape.
Romain V, 63, is facing 18 years in prison if found guilty. He is accused of raping Gisèle Pelicot on six separate occasions while knowing he was HIV-positive. His lawyer says he could not have passed on the infection as he had years of treatment.
Another 10 men could face sentences of 15-17 years, and prosecutors are seeking jail terms of 10-14 years for 38 of the others.
Ahead of the verdicts, one of the few men who has admitted rape told the BBC through his daughter that many people had made up their minds right away: “There was not enough time. For me it was botched work.”
The average jail term for rape in France is 11.1 years, according to the French justice ministry.
One man is accused of aggravated sexual assault rather than rape. Prosecutors say Joseph C, a retired sports coach and grandfather of 69, should face the lightest sentence of four years in prison.
Some of them have apologised for their behaviour, but many have not.
Cyril B said he was sorry to Gisèle Pelicot.
“I’m ashamed of myself, I’m disgusted,” said Jean-Pierre M this week. His lawyer hoped that the judges would take account of his contrition.