A rapist who abused unconscious Gisele Pelicot got his partner to drop him off and wait in the car while he engaged in the sordid sex act.
Abdelali Dallal, 47, has admitted two counts of rape committed in January and March 2018 and he is one of 50 men who are currently testifying in the case that has made headlines around the world.
The shocking case involves retired electrician Dominique Pelicot, 72, who in a decade-long campaign drugged his unsuspecting wife Gisele Pelicot, 71, so that dozens of men could rape and abuse her, while he watched and filmed them.
Dallal, director of a glazing firm company, has told investigators he met Pelicot online while surfing a swingers website called Coco.fr which has since closed, and he had been invited there by him to sleep with his wife.
Speaking before him, Dallal’s former partner told the court in Avignon how she had driven him to the Pelicot home in the nearby picturesque village of Mazan but she said she hadn’t asked him why he was there.
It comes as Mrs Pelicot was greeted with warm applause as she arrived at court this morning to give her verdict on the evidence heard so far in the ongoing trial of her husband.
Dallal’s former partner told the court about dropping him off: ‘When we arrived, I waited in the car, it was night and I don’t remember how long we were there.
‘He told me not to park directly outside the house but a little further away, I didn’t ask him why we were there or what he was doing there, I didn’t want to know.’
Dallal was later arrested after being recognised by the partner of another defendant who had been questioned about the case while she was shown photos of the accused recovered from devices Pelicot kept.
At first Dallal denied it was him insisting it ‘must be a double’ before later confessing it was him and at the start of the trial last month he admitted the two rapes he is accused of.
During questioning he told police he had since suffered a stroke and was 80 per cent disabled and added he was ‘stupid’ to return to the house as he knew he ‘was doing something stupid’, he said.
Large crowds had gathered outside court this morning for the hearing which comes at the midway point of a case that has made headlines around the world for its sordid nature.
Dressed as elegantly as ever Mrs Pelicot nodded to supporters and thanked one who gave her a good luck card as she made her way through the crowds to the courtroom.
Mrs Pelicot will be asked by trial judge Roger Arata for her views on the evidence heard so far and it comes as the latest batch of the 50 accused are grilled.
Due to testify this week is Quentin Hennebert, 34, a prison guard who was working at the same time Pelicot was being held in custody at Pontet jail, following his arrest in 2020 for upskirting women in a supermarket.
Hennebert is accused of raping Mrs Pelicot in November 2019 and has also pleaded guilty to the charge.
Four other men will also testify and they have been named as father of four Jean Luc La, 46, delivery driver Florin Rocca, 32, electrician Patrice Nicolle, 55, and Gregory Serviol, 31.
Mother-of-three Mrs Pelicot, has bravely waived her right to anonymity to unmask the alleged perpetrators.
The trial began almost eight weeks ago and has already heard from 30 men with most denying rape claiming they thought they were taking part in a role playing game with a swinging couple, many said that as Pelicot was present ‘consent’ had been given.
The accused face a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted and are aged between 26 and 74 and come from all walks of life including a journalist, soldier, local councillor, carpenter and fireman.
When given a brief opportunity to speak last month Mrs Pelicot said she felt ‘humiliated’ at having been labelled an ‘alcoholic and conspirator’ during the initial part of the hearing.
Since the trial started, French people have come out to support her in their droves, with many organising protests up and down the country, the latest being held last weekend.
One was held in Mazan, where most of the attacks took place, with hundreds marching through the sleepy Provence town to show their support of her.
The trial in Avignon has heard man after man claim that Pelicot had ‘tricked’ them into taking part in his twisted fantasies of the rape and humiliation of his wife – many of which were filmed.
Last month, Pelicot stood in the dock and admitted his guilt – and accused all his co-defendants of each having been willing conspirators.
He told the court: ‘I am a rapist – like everyone else in this room.’