One of 51 men accused of raping a pensioner’s drugged wife said he thought that the presence of camera’s made it above board, a French court heard on Tuesday.

The argument was made on the second day of the trial of Dominique Pélicot, the 71-year-old accused of recruiting dozens of men online to have intercourse with the “inert body” of his wife Gisèle who he is accused of drugging unconscious. 

Day two will see the presiding judge, Roger Arata spend the entire day summing up the case, which has been laid out in a 400-page indictment. The investigators will be interviewed on Wednesday and Mrs Pélicot and other family members will take the floor on Thursday. Mr Pélicot is expected to be quizzed starting next Monday.

On the opening day of the trial in Avignon, southern France, on Monday, magistrates granted Mrs Pélicot’s request that proceedings remain open to the public and journalists to ensure “complete publicity until the end”. 

The defence and prosecuting judge had called for it to take place behind closed doors to avoid a show trial and preserve the defendants’ dignity.

“She was dreading this moment but is relieved that the hearing is open and that she will not be locked up for four months with her assailants,” said Stephane Babonnea, one of her lawyers.

“She wants to raise awareness as widely as possible about date rape drugs so that this never happens again.”

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