A paediatrician in Germany has been formally charged with 130 counts of rape and other forms of sexual abuse targeting children, prosecutors announced on Wednesday. The suspect, who has not been publicly identified, worked at clinics in the state of Brandenburg, near Berlin, and allegedly committed the offences over a period of 12 years.
Details of the Charges
The Potsdam public prosecutor's office stated that the accused is charged with 130 counts of sexual offences while employed by the healthcare provider Havelland Kliniken. These charges include, among other allegations, aggravated sexual abuse of children and rape. The offences are said to have occurred between December 1, 2013, and November 5 of the previous year.
Prosecutors further noted that a significant number of the alleged offences took place while the suspect was performing his professional duties at clinics in the towns of Rathenow and Nauen, both located in Brandenburg. The charges were formally laid on May 6, and the accused remains in pretrial detention. The case has been referred to the regional court in Potsdam, the capital of Brandenburg.
Arrest and Investigation
According to the Bild daily, the paediatrician, now 46 years old, was arrested in November 2025 after the mother of a female patient at the Rathenow hospital alerted police. During the subsequent investigation, authorities seized numerous data storage devices containing evidence related to the alleged crimes.
The case echoes a high-profile scandal in France, where a convicted paedophile who worked as a surgeon for years repeatedly abused children under his care. In May 2025, a French court sentenced retired doctor Joel Le Scouarnec to 20 years in prison after he confessed to sexually abusing or raping 298 patients between 1989 and 2014. Of those victims, more than 250 were under the age of 15.
