"Charges Against Dino Scala": Fresh Details on the Accusations Facing the Individuals Involved in the "Rape of the Sambre" Incident
Sexual Assault Allegations Resurface Against Dino Scala, Known as "The Sambre Rapist"
On May 15, Dino Scala found himself under formal investigation for 13 additional cases of sexual violence, following a judicial hearing. This recent development comes nearly three years after he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for a series of 54 rapes, attempted rapes, sexual assaults, or attempted sexual assaults spanning over three decades.
Initially, authorities suspected that Scala might have committed more sexual crimes. During the initial judicial investigation, some cases were initially dismissed. Journalist Alice Génaud, author of the investigative book Sambre, X-ray of a news story, commented on these overlooked cases, stating, “Women whose complaints were lost, women whom justice had forgotten along the way or had deliberately dismissed.”
With the assistance of an investigating judge in Valenciennes from March 15, 2023, fresh investigations led to 13 cases of sexual violence being attributed to Scala out of the 16 cases the magistrate was handling.
A Recognizable Pattern
One of these new victims, who reported a sexual assault in 1987 in Aulnoye-Aymeries, revealed that the Sambre series had acted as a catalyst, enabling her to make a potential connection with Scala and file a formal complaint.
The trial that took place in the summer of 2022 provided investigators with a deeper understanding of Scala's unique modus operandi. The prosecutor's office in Valenciennes explained in a statement, “The debates that took place before the Nord Assizes allowed for comparisons with cases of sexual violence that occurred in the 'area' where 'The Sambre Rapist' operated.”
Scala was placed under formal investigation on May 15 for rape, attempted rape, indecent assault with violence, attempted indecent assault with violence, sexual assault with violence, and attempted sexual assault with violence. However, Margaux Mathieu, Scala's lawyer, argued, “The formal investigation for the 13 cases is based solely on the idea of a so-called unique modus operandi, but we are able to establish that many attackers acted in the region with a similar modus operandi.”
Neglected Victims
While some women have come forward and been believed in this complex case, others have been mishandled or ignored during their initial complaints. One of Caty Richard's clients, a victim who stepped forward in 1990, was never contacted by authorities after filing her complaint.
When Richard's client saw Scala on television in 2018, she felt a chill and suspected it could have been him. When she returned to the station where she’d filed her complaint, she was told, "Since 1990, your complaint is in the trash." Discouraged, she left without saying a word. However, after the trial in 2022, she was heard and could discuss the events that had transpired.
Victims like Richard's client have not been the only ones affected by Scala's criminal behavior. "There are other victims of Dino Scala, maybe victims who don't know and will never know," concluded Caty Richard.
- The new cases attributed to Scala may point towards a consistent pattern in his modus operandi, as suggested by the Prosecutor's Office in Valenciennes.
- The health-and-wellness sector, particularly sexual health, should address the concerns of victims who may have been neglected or overlooked in cases of sexual violence, as demonstrated by the experiences of victims like Caty Richard's client.
- The resurgence of allegations against Scala underscores the importance of sound science and justice in investigations, ensuring that all cases are thoroughly scrutinized and judged, regardless of the passage of time.
