Monster of Avignon 'had a 'disciple' who learned from him how to drug and rape his own wife... and allowed his 'teacher' to have sex with his unconscious partner multiple times'

The Monster of Avignon,who recruited dozens of men to rape his unconscious wife after drugging her over a period of ten years,had a 'disciple' who learned and copied his methods,a court heard as the shocking trial continues.

Dominique Pélicot,71,is on trial in the French city of Avignon for repeatedly raping and encouraging others to rape his wife,Gisèle,also 71,in the southern village on Mazan. He faces 20 years in prison if found guilty.

The court heard on Wednesday how another man on trial,named only as Jean-Pierre,63,allegedly learned from Mr Pélicot how to drug and rape his own wife. The 'disciple' is not among the 51 men on trial for attacking Mrs Pélicot. 

The former lorry driver was claimed to have spoken to Mr Pélicot in an online chatroom called 'Against her knowledge'. Mr Pélicot is then alleged to have provided sedatives for 'Jean-Pierre' to drug his wife,before travelling to rape her himself.

The harrowing case continues to rock France,with the accused facing 20 years in jail if found guilty of aggravated rape. The lengthy trial is expected to continue through to December - more than three years since Mr Pélicot's arrest.

Police found a file in Pelicot's computer labelled 'My Daughter Naked'. Pictured: Caroline Darian (left) at the courthouse during the trial of her father

The examiner deemed the man to be a 'voyeuristic sexual deviant',after which police ordered a search of his house.

During the search,officers seized a computer,three memory cards,two mobile phones and a camcorder which is where they discovered the tapes.

During interviews following his arrest,Mr Pélicot maintained that the sickening abuse of his wife of 50 years Gisele would have continued if he had not been arrested.

On Monday,psychologists descrived Mr Pélicot as a ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ character who drugged his wife so strangers could rape her at night.

He told detectives that,by day,he considered himself a ‘good husband’ to Mme Pélicot,whom he married in 1971 and had three children with.

The couple’s divorce was finalised last month,and Mme Pélicot has sat in court throughout the trial so far,along with her adult children. 

France