Former French Anaesthetist Jailed for Life Over Poisoning of Patients

A former anaesthetist has been sentenced to life imprisonment in France for deliberately poisoning 30 patients, 12 of whom died.

A court in Besancon found Frederic Pechier guilty of contaminating infusion bags with substances that caused cardiac arrest or severe bleeding. The victims ranged in age from four to 89. The youngest patient, a four-year-old child, survived two cardiac arrests during routine tonsil surgery in 2016.

Prosecutors accused Pechier of turning the clinics where he worked into places of death, saying his actions had disgraced the medical profession. He was first placed under investigation eight years ago over suspected poisonings at two clinics in Besancon between 2008 and 2017.

Although he denied all charges throughout the trial, Pechier was convicted after 15 weeks of hearings. He had remained free under judicial supervision during proceedings but will now serve a minimum of 22 years in prison.

Pechier has 10 days to file an appeal. If lodged, the case would proceed to a second trial within a year.