A German man has been sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison for a horrific campaign of abuse against his wife, in a case drawing stark parallels with a high-profile French trial that reshaped consent laws.
Details of a prolonged assault
Fernando P., 61, was found guilty of aggravated rape, bodily harm, and violating his wife's privacy by a regional court in the western city of Aachen. The court heard that between 2018 and 2024, the defendant repeatedly sedated his wife in their former home before sexually assaulting her.
He compounded the abuse by recording the attacks and uploading the videos to online chat groups and internet platforms, making them available to other users. To protect the victim's privacy, most of the trial was held behind closed doors, with the verdict delivered in an open session.
Echoes of a landmark French case
German media have widely compared the proceedings to the 2024 trial of Dominique Pelicot in Avignon, France. Pelicot was sentenced to 20 years for drugging and raping his wife and for inviting strangers to abuse her while she was unconscious.
The Pelicot case directly led France to reform its rape laws in 2025, introducing a clear legal requirement for "freely given and informed" consent. This standard is similar to legislation already in place in the UK, Sweden, and Spain.
While Germany updated its rape law in 2016 to lower the prosecution threshold, campaigners argue it still does not fully meet the consent-based model championed by other European nations.
A voice for the victim
A lawyer representing the victim stated that the Aachen court had handled the sensitive case with great care, ensuring her client "really has had a voice in this trial." The lawyer declined to comment on the sentence itself, as she had not yet discussed it with her client.
The defendant's court-appointed lawyer has also declined to comment on the verdict and sentence. Fernando P. was convicted on all major charges, marking the end of a legal process focused on a severe breach of trust and personal autonomy.
