One of 50 men accused of raping the French woman Gisèle Pelicot after she was drugged by her husband accepted the charges on Thursday, saying he was sorry for what he did.

Lionel R, a 44-year-old supermarket worker and father of three, was among dozens of men accused of participating in the mass rape of Pelicot over a decade in a trial that has shocked France.

Gisèle Pelicot’s then husband, Dominique Pelicot, has admitted to drugging her into the state of a “deep coma” and inviting strangers he met in online chatrooms to rape her.

Gisèle Pelicot, who said she had not consented, requested that the trial be open to the public to raise awareness about the use of drugs to commit rape and sexual abuse.

Lionel R admitted in court that he had indeed raped Gisèle Pelicot on 2 December 2018, though he said he had not intended to. “Since I never obtained Mrs Pelicot’s consent, I have no choice but to accept the facts,” he told the court.