Dominique Pelicot will not appeal against his 20-year sentence for orchestrating the mass rape of his former wife Gisèle Pelicot in a case that horrified France and turned a 72-year-old grandmother into a feminist idol.

Béatrice Zavarro, Pelicot’s lawyer, told French media on Monday morning that her client will not appear before the appeals court.

“He has decided not to appeal, because he believes that it would be a new ordeal and new confrontations for his wife,” Ms Zavarro said.

“Ms Pelicot is not and has never been his adversary,” she added.

Ms Pelicot will probably return to court, as 17 of 51 co-defendants convicted of charges ranging from rape to sexual assault have so far filed appeals.