French court finds ‘twisted’ anaesthetist guilty of killing 12 patients

The Guardian - World NewsEN 3 min read 100% complete by Angelique Chrisafis in ParisDecember 18, 2025 at 10:44 AM

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French anaesthetist Frédéric Péchier was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison for intentionally poisoning 30 patients, resulting in the deaths of 12, between 2008 and 2017 in Besançon, France. Prosecutors described Péchier as a "serial killer" who tampered with colleagues' medication to trigger heart attacks in patients aged four to 89. The trial revealed Péchier's motives included discrediting colleagues, demonstrating his power, and dealing with feelings of inadequacy. Despite the evidence, Péchier denied all charges, while lawyers for the victims described him as emotionless. He has 10 days to appeal the verdict.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Thérèse Brunisso ×270% Christine de Curraize ×280% Frédéric Péchier ×9100% France ×3100%

Keywords

anaesthetist 100% poisoning 90% serial killer 80% medical malpractice 70% heart attacks 60% private clinics 50% french court 50% criminal 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.90

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Source

The Guardian - World News

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90%

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anaesthetist poisoning serial killer medical malpractice heart attacks private clinics french court criminal

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