The Outreau Case: A French Nightmare unpacks a horrific scandal of abuse and judiciary failure in a small French town, but Thierry Delay and Myriam Badaoui were not the only people accused of abusing their own and other children during that scandal. David Delplanque, Aurelie Grenon, and Daniel Legrand Jr. were all implicated in the crimes and have been keeping a low profile ever since.
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David Delplanque
David Delplanque | Image via Netflix
David Delplanque lived close to the abusive parents who were both jailed for their abuse. He would be named as an abuser in the case, and would eventually admit that he knew and socialised with the terrible couple. He would admit to taking part in the crimes after his then-partner, Aurelie Grenon, would openly admit her complicity in the offenses.
For his part in the abuse, David Delplanque was jailed for six years in 2004. He was named along with seventeen other people, allegedly involved in the abuse of children, including the Delay brothers. He would be released after serving his time, and his relationship with Aurelie ended. He has kept a low profile since his return to society.
Aurelie Grenon
Aurelie Grenon | Image via La Point
As mentioned above, Aurelie Grenon was the partner of Delplanque and admitted her involvement in the abuse. Her abhorrent actions would lead to her being jailed for four years in 2004.
Throughout the trial, she would also claim that many others had been involved in the case. However, later in proceedings, she would backtrack on many of her claims. Her main defense would see her claim that she was not a willing participant in the abuse, and her age led some to think that she was more of a victim than a participant. Since release from prison, she has avoided public appearances.
Daniel Legrand Jr
Daniel Legrand Jr | Image via DAMIEN MEYER / AFP
The nature of Daniel Legrand Jr.’s involvement in the case is a tangled web that has never really been fully explained.
Upon initially being accused, Legrand would admit that he was involved and also claimed that there had been a murder of a young girl too. However, as the case moved forward. he would change his story and as no body was ever found. The alleged murder of the girl muddied the waters and further complicated the process. Jonathan Delay has also said subsequently that Legrand’s version of events was inaccurate.
Legrand Jr. was only seventeen at the time, and after the testimonies were heard from other accused people, he was exonerated of his crimes, despite the victims of the abuse claiming he was present during some of the incidents. Legrand was reportedly receiving psychiatric help after the case and was also reportedly a heroin addict.
What was the fallout for the judicial system after the case?
After the case, there was a huge public outcry about the way it was handled, and as a result, the judge who was overseeing the trial, Judge Bouguard, was called before a parliamentary committee and France would hear his apologetic statement about the case. He also appears in the Netflix series, talking about his involvement in the process.
The Outreau case was marred by controversies that called the validity of the investigation and trials into question. Problems with evidence and testimony made things very difficult, and often stories and testimonies would change. Claims would be made under pressure, little physical evidence was found, and the false allegations that were made destroyed the lives of many people. The French Parliament passed new legal reforms in 2005 and 2007 to try and ensure that the same mistakes would not be made again in similar circumstances. Martin Cid Magazine details some of the reforms in an article on the subject:
- Tightening rules on interviews with child victims to avoid coaching or influencing statements. Interviews must be recorded to better verify reliability.
- Granting new rights and protections to defendants in abuse cases, such as providing state-funded lawyers and requiring corroborating evidence. Unsubstantiated accusations alone cannot convict.
- Strengthening investigative procedures to avoid tunnel vision or confirmation bias. Judges must impartially examine all evidence from both sides.
- Allowing more cases to be tried by judges only rather than juries, seen as less prone to sensationalism.
- Increasing oversight and accountability mechanisms for prosecutors and investigators. Misconduct can result in disciplinary action.
