A French court on Thursday sentenced a doctor to life in jail for poisoning 30 child and adult patients, 12 of whom died, reportedly in an attempt to discredit colleagues.
Frederic Pechier, 53, worked as an anaesthetist in two clinics in the eastern city of Besancon, when patients went into cardiac arrest in suspicious circumstances between 2008 and 2017. Twelve could not be resuscitated.
Pechier’s youngest victim, four-year-old Teddy, survived two cardiac arrests during a routine tonsil surgery in 2016. The oldest victim was 89.
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“You will be incarcerated immediately,” presiding judge Delphine Thibierge said.
Pechier, who has denied wrongdoing and had not been detained since the start of the probe, appeared unmoved. Members of his family broke down in tears.
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A lawyer from the firm representing him, Ornella Spatafora, said he would appeal.