France, June 12 -- The defendant, appearing before the Rhone Criminal Court on Thursday and Friday, denied the charges.

According to investigators' findings, the 39-year-old bodyguard was "eager to benefit from Pelicot's experience", with the alleged aim of drugging his wife before abusing her.

The Lyon case emerged from the investigation that began when Pelicot was arrested on 12 September, 2020. On his phone, investigators found messages with the defendant, in which Pelicot allegedly offered to travel to Lyon to drug and rape the man's partner.

The suspect was arrested almost three years later, in June 2023. When police examined his phone, they found videos showing his partner unconscious while he carried out sexual acts, according t...