Outreau Trial - The Outreau Affair

The Outreau Affair

The "Outreau Affair", which concerned an alleged criminal network in Outreau, a poor suburb of Boulogne-sur-Mer in the Pas-de-Calais region, began in November 2001. The first trial took place in Saint-Omer in 2004, and the appeal took place in Paris in 2005.

Eighteen people were accused. Mostly parents, they were charged with child sexual abuse and incest and their children were separated from them for much of this time. The affair began when some school teachers and social workers noticed “strange sexual behavior” from four children in a local school. Psychologists believed the children to be credible witnesses, but doctors found no evidence of sexual abuse. The parents were accused on the testimony of some of the children, which was then backed-up by the confessions of some of the accused.

The defendants were held in custody for from one to three years. In the first trial (in 2004), four of the eighteen admitted guilt and were convicted, seven denied involvement and were acquitted. Six further defendants denied the charges but were convicted and given light sentences - they appealed their convictions, and were heard by the Paris Cour d'assises in autumn 2005. On the first day of the hearing, the prosecution's claims were destroyed, and all six were acquitted. Another defendant had committed suicide in prison while awaiting trial.