Louis Bonnet, the mayor of Mazan in southern France, said he understands his remarks to the BBC were shocking.

The mayor of Mazan, a southern French town where Dominique Pelicot for years raped his wife, drugged her and invited dozens of strangers to rape her while she was unconscious, was accused of downplaying the victim's ordeal in remarks to the BBC.

One of more than 50 men accused of raping Frenchwoman Gisele Pelicot in a mass rape case that has shocked the world told her in court on Thursday that he was sorry for what he did. Lionel Rodriguez is among a small number of those accused who have admitted to raping Pelicot,

The mayor of the French town where a man for over a decade brought strangers to rape his wife apologised on Friday for remarks that were criticised for playing down the ordeal of the victim.Dominique Pelicot has admitted to drugging Gisele Pelicot into unconsciousness and inviting strangers to rape her.

Dominique Pelicot, the Frenchman accused of drugging his wife and recruiting dozens of strangers to rape her over a decade, on Tuesday admitted to the various criminal charges he faces in a closely-watched trial,