Gisele Pelicot’s son relives moment he discovered his father was a monster

Published

7 months ago

March 24, 2025

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His father is one of France’s worst sex offenders, his mother a national hero.

As the friendly, smartly dressed man sits in front of me, waiting for our interview to begin, it is impossible to understand the pain and anguish which has haunted David Pelicot and his family over the last four years.

“He was my father, but he’s not anymore,” David says. “Today he’s a monster.”

David is the eldest son of Gisele Pelicot, the woman at the centre of a mass rape trial who became a household name after waiving her right to anonymity and bravely declaring that “shame must change sides”.

His father, Dominique, admitted repeatedly drugging and raping Gisele between 2011 and 2020, and inviting dozens of other men to their home in southern France to do the same.

As strangers attacked his sedated wife, Dominique filmed them, building up a vile library of abuse.

His crimes were exposed by chance in 2020 after he was caught filming up women’s skirts in a local supermarket.

When police seized his devices, they uncovered 20,000 meticulously organised videos and images of abuse.

Gisele was the unconscious victim in many of them.

On 2 November 2020, police showed her what they had found.

After seeing herself violated in the most hideous ways, she had to call her children to tell them what their father had done.

“It’s a moment that will remain etched in my memory forever,” David says, as he recounts the evening which would destroy his family.

He remembers his wife answering the phone, speaking to his mother and turning pale before handing him the call. His mother gently asked him to go somewhere quiet, where he could be alone.

She then explained she had been repeatedly raped by his father and dozens of other men.

“What she told me was like a tsunami,” David says.

“I felt so many emotions rising within me… and then the nausea which had been mounting during the entire conversation reached a peak.

“I hung up the phone and it felt like the floor gave way under my feet, and I felt sick. I went to the bathroom and threw up.”

Just like his mother, the 50-year-old is dignified and clear as he relives the moment he discovered the father he loved and trusted was a manipulative monster.

Dominique Pelicot, the affable guy who people liked, was a predator who carefully planned his crimes, crushing sleep-inducing drugs into his unsuspecting wife’s food before allowing strangers to abuse and degrade her.

No day was off limits; Gisele was assaulted on her birthday, Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve.

“The moment we were told that she had been abused by more than 50 men was very difficult to hear, because this man, Dominique Pelicot, was the backbone of the family,” David continues.

“He’d taught me to respect women, so when I heard what he’d done to our own mother, as the eldest son, I was filled with anger and total incomprehension.”

Throughout our conversation, David always uses Dominique’s full name.

He explains it’s his way of moving forward and grieving.

In December, Dominique Pelicot was sentenced to 20 years in jail after admitting his crimes.

During the trial, his lawyer argued he had a split personality which enabled him to be a seemingly perfect husband and loving father while secretly committing hideous assaults.

The question of how he had managed to trick them all clearly plays on David’s mind.

He says he believes Dominique is a Jekyll and Hyde type character who can be kind one minute, then depraved and cruel another.

The trial heard as well as the attacks on Gisele, Dominique put up cameras to secretly film and photograph his son’s wives, including one who was pregnant.

The cameras were hidden in their bathrooms or rooms in his home.

He then shared naked photos of them online.

He also took photos of his adult daughter, Caroline, semi-naked while she was asleep.

Dominique has always denied assaulting her, but she is terrified she was another of his victims.

David tells me he also believes his sister was abused and pledges to help her in her fight for justice.

After police exposed Dominique’s crimes, David cut him off. But just before the trial started his father sent him a letter.

“The first thing I asked myself was why is he writing to me? Is he writing to apologise? To ask for forgiveness? Or to try to manipulate me?” he says.

“So, I read his letter carefully, but quite honestly, I tore it up and threw it in the bin.

“Personally, I will never forgive him.”

There’s only one question he wants to ask his father – why?

Why did he do this to his wife, to his children and his grandchildren?

Gisele isn’t believed to be Dominique’s only victim but David doesn’t believe his father will ever tell the truth about his crimes.

“I have no doubt he’ll die in prison, but I’m convinced that he’ll take many of his secrets to the grave,” he says.

While there’s no doubt Dominique was the conductor in this depraved orchestra of abuse, 50 other men were also found guilty of raping or sexually assaulting Gisele.

Around nine men are appealing but the case has forced France to look at its rape culture.

Inspired by Gisele’s bravery in waiving her anonymity and allowing images of herself being raped to be shown in open court, tens of thousands of people joined demonstrations against sexual violence around the country.

Many held photos or drawings of Gisele.

Her courage has seen her named as one of Time Magazine’s women of the year, while a bold sketch of her with the words “No more shame” was emblazoned on the cover of German Vogue.

I ask David how he sees the woman who has become an icon for many?

“First and foremost, she’s our mum. She’s also our children’s grandmother, but today, and for the rest of her life, she’ll be a heroine,” he says.

For all the strength and dignity Gisele and her children have shown, it’s unclear if they will ever be able to heal from the damage inflicted upon them.

David explains his mother is trying to slowly rebuild herself but acknowledges that the family endured “unspeakable pain” throughout the trial.

“We must continue to live, give meaning to our lives and not forget that in the world, there are other women who cannot speak and who absolutely must be helped,” he says.

At the end of the interview, he asks our all-female team how we think toxic masculinity and rape culture can be tackled.

He listens intently to our responses and is clearly passionate about trying to find ways to educate young men and help build a safer society for women.

He is impatiently waiting for the government to change the law around sexual consent.

He has seen the darkest side of humanity and is desperately seeking the light.

He says he found it in the crowds of cheering women who came to support his mother at court, crying with joy when the verdicts were read out.

The case exposed unrepentant evil but also “gave immense hope to all women who suffer sexual violence,” David concludes. “Not only bad came from this case. There was also a lot of positivity; today people are free to speak out.”

World

‘Nervous’ British tourists in Jamaica tell of Hurricane Melissa ordeal

Published

21 hours ago

October 29, 2025

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'Nervous' British tourists in Jamaica tell of Hurricane Melissa ordeal

Up to 8,000 holidaying British citizens are in Jamaica as it is battered by one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in history.

People have been ordered to stay indoors as Hurricane Melissa sweeps over the Caribbean island, which is also home to 50,000 dual nationals.

And tourists are locked down in hotels as Jamaica is hit by 185 mph winds.

Follow latest updates on Hurricane Melissa

Andrew Tracey had been due to fly home to the UK on Monday, but his flight was cancelled.

Mr Tracey told Sky News that food packages were being delivered to guests at his hotel. Deck chairs have been removed from the beach, and the swimming pools have been drained, at the Negril hotel where he is staying.

“The balcony and walls do feel as though they are vibrating just due to the strength of the wind,” said Mr Tracey.

“I’m very nervous, it’s hard to comprehend what we are likely to expect.”

The US National Hurricane Centre in Miami said that Melissa was “one of the most powerful hurricane landfalls on record in the Atlantic basin” as it hit southwestern Jamaica near New Hope.

In a social media post, the centre warned that it is an “extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation” – and told those in the area not to leave their shelter as the eye of the storm passes over.

‘It is a bit scary, but we’ve got each other’

A British-Jamaican couple who are sheltering inside as the storm passes over the island spoke to Sky News about their ordeal.

Shantell Nova Rochester and her Jamaican fiance Denva Wray are due to get married on the island next month.

They spoke of broken windows and water coming in where they are staying, but the couple believe they are “as safe as they can possibly be” in St Elizabeth.

Mr Wray said: “Where we are is quite strong, sturdy, but you can hear a lot of wind. It is a bit scary, but we’ve got each other, so we are strong.”

Asked about the wedding, Ms Rochester said: “We’re just worried about getting through tomorrow, but that’s a worry in the back of our heads.

“Where we’re plan to get married is flooded at this time.”

Government action ‘too late’ – British tourist

One British man who paid £3,500 for last-minute flights so he and his family could return home before the hurricane hit the island said that he felt “completely let down” by the government’s response.

David Rowe and his family, from Hertfordshire, had spent 10 days in Jamaica before deciding to fly back to the UK on Saturday.

Mr Rowe, 47, was critical of the response of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Speaking to the PA news agency, IT manager Mr Rowe said: “It’s all too late, their reaction and their response to the storm has been too late – after the fact.

“The advice should have been last week, like on the Saturday – don’t travel – because a lot of the travel companies use the FCDO guidance on travel (for) all their planning and what decisions they make as an organisation.

“There should have been something done much sooner than this. A lot of the UK nationals, and people on holiday there, they are stranded.

“This could have been prevented with with better action from the UK government.”

Mr Rowe added that he and his wife had felt “very anxious” before they flew home – and “very sad” for those left in the country.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We understand how worrying developments in Jamaica are for British nationals and their families.

“Our travel advice includes information about hurricane season, which runs from June to November. Last Thursday we updated our travel advice for Jamaica to include a warning about Tropical Storm Melissa and that it was expected to intensify over the coming days.

“The safety and security of British nationals is our top priority, and that is why we are urging any British nationals in Jamaica to follow the guidance of the local authorities and register their presence with us to receive updates.”

World

Blasts reported after Benjamin Netanyahu orders Israeli military to carry out ‘powerful’ strikes in Gaza

Published

21 hours ago

October 29, 2025

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Blasts reported after Benjamin Netanyahu orders Israeli military to carry out 'powerful' strikes in Gaza

Blasts have been reported in Gaza after Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his military to carry out “powerful” air strikes.

Witnesses said they saw explosions and heard tank fire in Gaza City and Deir al Balah.

An Associated Press reporter in Deir al Balah heard tanks firing from an area controlled by the Israeli army, and, in Gaza City, two health officials reported strikes, including near the Shifa hospital.

At least two people were killed, and four others wounded, by a strike on a neighbourhood south of Gaza City, according to Gaza’s Civil Defence.

The announcement of strikes came shortly after Israel said that Hamas had opened fire on its forces in southern Gaza on Tuesday.

Hamas has denied involvement in the attack in the city of Rafah. The militant Palestinian group also said in a statement that it remained committed to the US-backed ceasefire deal.

Mr Netanyahu had also accused Hamas of violating the three-week-old ceasefire in the territory by handing over remains that were of an Israeli hostage who was already recovered.

A statement from the prime minister’s office said: “Following the security consultations, Prime Minister Netanyahu instructed the military echelon to carry out powerful strikes in the Gaza Strip immediately.”

US Vice President JD Vance said the ceasefire, which began on 10 October, was holding, telling reporters: “That doesn’t mean there aren’t going to be little skirmishes here and there.

“We know that Hamas or somebody else within Gaza attacked an (Israeli military) soldier. We expect the Israelis are going to respond, but I think the president’s peace is going to hold despite that.”

Hamas on Tuesday said that it would postpone the planned handover of a body of a hostage it had recovered, claiming violations of the ceasefire by Israel.

In a sign of the fragility of the ceasefire, Israeli troops were shot at in Rafah, and returned fire, according to an Israeli military official.

An Israeli military official told Sky’s Middle East correspondent Adam Parsons that Hamas have “shown their true face”.

The official told him: “Hamas violated the ceasefire once again, carrying out an attack against IDF forces east to the yellow line, an area under Israeli control.

“This is yet another blatant violation of the ceasefire. This comes after Hamas has also shown their true face and the fact that are pretending to not know where the remaining hostages are.”

Hamas said on the Telegram messaging app that any Israeli escalation of attacks in Gaza would hinder search and recovery operations, and delay the return of the bodies of Israeli soldiers.

There are thought to be 13 bodies of hostages still in Gaza.

Speaking to Sky News, Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said: “The first line of this agreement is that all of our hostages should have been returned on the first day of this agreement.

“They were supposed to give back all of our hostages, and there was supposed to be a ceasefire. There are still 13 of our murdered hostages (in Gaza).

“And secondly, Hamas are firing on our troops. That is not a ceasefire.”

After the ceasefire took effect, all 20 living hostages were freed in exchange for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, but the remains of the dead have been slow to be repatriated.

Hamas has said there are problems finding them due to a lack of equipment to sift through the devastation and rubble in Gaza.

The search for hostage bodies had been stepped up over the past few days after the arrival of heavy machinery from Egypt.

Bulldozers were working in Khan Younis, and further north in Nuseirat, with Hamas fighters deployed around them.

Some of the bodies are believed to be in Hamas’ network of tunnels below Gaza.

World

Eleven people killed after tourist plane crashes in Kenya

Published

21 hours ago

October 29, 2025

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Eleven people killed after tourist plane crashes in Kenya

Eleven people have been killed after a plane carrying tourists to a Kenyan safari reserve crashed.

According to officials, the aircraft burst into flames and was reduced to charred wreckage at the hilly and forested area in which it crashed.

The plane had been travelling from Diani Airport, on the coast, to the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

The dead included eight Hungarian passengers, two Germans and the Kenyan pilot. There were no survivors.

Authorities initially said the crash happened at 5:30am local time. Later, the Kenyan transport minister gave the time of the incident as 8:35am.

Kenya’s ministry of roads and transport said the aircraft was destroyed by the impact of the crash and an ensuing fire.

Investigators from the country’s aircraft accident investigation department have been deployed to the site to begin an inquiry, they said.

The department added that the Kenyan government’s “highest priority” remains aviation safety.

In a statement, John Cleave, the chairman of Mombasa Air Safari, said “our hearts and prayers” were with all those affected by the crash.

He wrote that the company had activated its emergency response team and was “fully cooperating” with the relevant authorities, who have already begun investigating.

“Our primary focus right now is on providing all possible support to the families affected,” Mr Cleave continued, adding that a family assistance team had been established to offer counselling, logistical coordination and any required assistance to the relatives of the victims.

The Maasai Mara National Reserve is a two-hour direct flight from Diani, a popular coastal town known for its sandy beaches.

The reserve attracts a large number of tourists as it features the annual wildebeest migration from the Serengeti in Tanzania.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán wrote on social media on Tuesday that his foreign ministry had been in contact with authorities in Kenya concerning the Hungarian victims of the plane crash.

He said: “What a tragedy! Our sincere condolences to families of the Hungarians who died in the plane crash in Kenya.”