Disturbing moment police caught up with the Monster of Avignon as he upskirted women in French supermarket – as he stands trial for drugging his wife to be raped by 50 men

Footage has emerged of the disturbing moment police finally caught up with Dominique Pélicot, dubbed the ‘Monster of Avignon’ after he admitted drugging his wife and then allowing multiple strangers to rape her. He was caught ‘upskirting’.

The 71-year-old is currently on trial at the Avignon Court of First Instance, where he is one of 51 suspects.

Paris Match magazine has published disturbing images of Pélicot being caught making upskirt videos of women in a supermarket in Carpentras, southeastern France.

The footage was filmed on September 12, 2020, and shows the white-haired grandfather, wearing a mask, placing a camera under the skirts of randomly selected victims in the Leclerc store.

“No, no, no,” is the response of a woman when Pélicot is confronted by a security guard, who says that “four customers” have filed a complaint.

Pélicot was confronted by a security guard during the incident on September 12, 2020. The caption reads: ‘He filmed under your dress’

The caption tells how Pélicot was arrested after being caught filming female ‘customers in a supermarket in Carpentras’

Pélicot, dressed in red shorts and a gray T-shirt, is then told “not to move” because the police are on their way.

The grandfather is told that he is “disgusting” and that the women must testify against him to the authorities.

Pélicot is also ordered not to delete the videos until the police arrive, so there is enough evidence for a prosecution.

He was originally fined €100 (about £85) for shaving under his skirt as part of a plea deal, but then detectives found other incriminating images on his devices.

While in custody, Pélicot reported a hard drive he had hidden under a printer in his home in Mazan, near Avignon, containing a file called “Abuses.”

Gisele Pelicot arrives at court for her husband’s trial in Avignon. Pelicot has been accused of drugging his wife and then allowing multiple strangers to rape him between 2011 and 2020

The document contained the nicknames and phone numbers of the alleged rapists, along with some 3,800 photos and videos of his wife Gisèle Pélicot, now also 71, being raped between 2011 and 2020.

Detectives have recorded a total of 92 rapes, committed by 72 men. 51 of them have been identified.

Pélicot’s sex ring consisted of advertising for “sex partners” on an online forum called “Without Her Knowing” on the website coco.fr, which has since closed.

Of the 83 men involved, 51, aged between 26 and 73, were identified and arrested by police.

Caroline, 45, told a court in Avignon on Friday that she was convinced her father had also drugged her after police showed her photos of her lying unconscious on a bed in her mother’s underwear.

Caroline and her two brothers David and Florian had an idyllic childhood and were blessed with a stable and happy family life for most of their lives

Pélicot is said to have drugged his wife by adding Temesta, a powerful anti-anxiety drug, to her dinner.

Alleged rapists involved in the case include civil servants, ambulance workers, soldiers, prison guards, nurses, a journalist, a city councillor and truck drivers.

Fourteen of the remaining suspects have confessed to rape, while the rest deny committing any crime.

Last week, Pélicot’s legal team said he was unwell to testify due to abdominal pain and a suspected bladder infection.

He appeared briefly in court on Wednesday morning, but attorney Beatrice Zavarro confirmed Thursday that he was “still ill” and would not appear.

Pélicot vomited and fainted in his cell, where he has been in pre-trial detention since 2020, between hospital visits for treatment and tests.

Ms Zavarro’s statements were accepted by Roger Arata, the trial judge, who said: “He needs medical treatment and will not be able to appear in court for at least the rest of this week.”

Pélicot’s daughter, Caroline Darian, 46, described him in court as “one of the greatest sexual predators” of recent years.

Pélicot – nicknamed the ‘Monster of Avignon’ – is said to have drugged his wife by adding Temesta – a powerful anti-anxiety drug – to her evening meal

She said he secretly photographed her naked, along with her two sisters-in-law.

In another case, Pélicot is charged with the rape and murder of a 23-year-old real estate agent in Paris in 1991.

He admitted attempted rape in 1999 after DNA tests showed there was a case against him.

The case of aggravated rape in Avignon is expected to be heard until December 21.