French anaesthetist jailed for life after poisoning and killing patients 

A French anaesthetist has been sentenced to life in prison after a court found him guilty of poisoning 30 patients during operations, killing 12.

The Doubs Assize Court delivered its verdict on Thursday, with prosecutors describing the doctor as “one of the greatest criminals in history”.

Frederic Pechier, 53, was convicted of poisoning patients between 2008 and 2017 while working in two private clinics in the eastern city of Besancon. The victims ranged in age from four to 89.

The verdict followed 15 weeks of hearings in a trial that lasted three months, marked by technical medical testimony and emotional accounts from victims’ families.

The court heard that Pechier targeted patients treated by colleagues with whom he was in conflict, to discredit them professionally. In some cases, prosecutors said, he intervened to resuscitate patients he had poisoned not to save them, but to conceal his actions.

The prosecution argued that Pechier acted to harm and “psychologically damage” healthcare workers he saw as rivals to “feed his thirst for power”.

Christine de Curraize, the prosecuting lawyer, said Pechier’s goal in each poisoning was to “witness the downfall of his trapped colleague, to revel in his helplessness” before stepping in to resuscitate patients and present himself as the “doctor everyone admired”.

Given the floor for a final statement on Monday, the last day of the trial, Pechier again denied the accusations, repeating a claim he maintained throughout the proceedings.

“I am not a poisoner,” he said.

During closing arguments, the prosecution accused Pechier of having “used medicine to kill”.

Pechier’s lawyers said they intend to appeal. He has 10 days to do so under French law.