France's 'Doctor Death' jailed for life for killing 12 patients

A former anaesthetist dubbed "Doctor Death" by French prosecutors has been sentenced to at least 22 years in prison for killing 12 people.

Frederic Pechier, who denied all the charges, was found guilty of 30 poisonings in total. The 53-year-old's family collapsed in emotion but he appeared unmoved after the court decided he was the "common denominator" in a series of cardiac arrests, reported France's BFM.

The poisonings happened between 2008 and 2017 at two clinics in Besancon in eastern France, with Pechier adding chemicals to patients' anaesthesia bags to induce a heart attack or haemorrhage. Police began investigating after emergencies occurred during surgeries considered low risk.

The killer's youngest victim was four and suffered two cardiac arrests during a tonsil operation in 2016. The oldest was 89.

Prosecutors accused him of contaminating medication with substances such as potassium, adrenaline, local anaesthetics and anticoagulant, according to Le Monde. It said the court was told Pechier wanted to "psychologically hurt" colleagues with whom he was in conflict and to "feed his thirst for power".

"You turned this clinic into a graveyard," prosecutors told him during closing arguments last week, after a trial that lasted over three months. Pechier had claimed the poisonings were down to mistakes by others.

He eventually conceded a poisoner had been at work, but insisted it wasn't him. He maintained his innocence as jury deliberations began on Monday, telling the court: "I will always say it: I am not a poisoner." His lawyer said on Thursday that he will appeal.

The verdict comes after a paedophile surgeon was jailed earlier this year in a case that shocked France. Joel Le Scouarnec, 74, who like Pechier was a respected medical professional, admitted raping and sexually abusing nearly 300 victims over his career.

Much of his abuse was done when his victims were under anaesthetic or waking from operations..