Lille: A babysitter with a prior conviction has been charged with rape and sexual assault of 18 children

Recruited through a childcare platform despite a previous conviction for sexual assault of a minor, a man has been charged in Lille with rape and sexual assault of 18 children

He was prohibited from working with minors, but dozens of families entrusted their children to him. They are only now discovering, with horror, that he had already been convicted of sexual violence against minors. The Lille prosecutor's office announced on Wednesday the indictment of a man suspected of rape and sexual assault of very young children in his care between March 2023 and December 2025 in the Lille metropolitan area.

The suspect worked as a babysitter after being recruited through a specialized platform. According to a statement from prosecutor Samuel Finielz, "58 children have been identified as having been cared for by the accused between March 2023 and December 2025 in 44 families residing in Lille and its surrounding area."

Children aged 2 months to 5 years

Among these children, aged between two months and five years at the time of the events, 18 are suspected victims. The investigation also revealed, after analysis of his digital devices, the possession of images of sexual abuse against a domestic animal.

The charges are serious: rape of minors under 15 for three of them and sexual assault for fifteen others. Incidents dating back to the summer of 2014, committed at a summer camp in Poitiers, have also been added to the Lille case.

Placed in pretrial detention after having "essentially exercised his right to remain silent," the defendant, a repeat offender, faces life imprisonment. The investigation continues to determine whether other online platforms were used and if other, longer-standing families may have fallen victim to this predator. The prosecutor reminds parents that they have the right to request a copy of the criminal record extract (bulletin n°3) from the babysitter they hire, which lists this type of crime.