French teacher detained over alleged sexual assaults on minors

A physical education teacher in the Pas-de-Calais department of France is in pretrial detention following allegations of rape and sexual assault against minors. The suspect, a 53-year-old man, is accused of committing these acts between 2012 and 2025 while working at various educational institutions, including Collège Maxence Van der Meersch in Le Touquet and Collège des Sept Vallées in Hesdin-la-Forêt.

The prosecutor's office in Boulogne-sur-Mer has identified seven potential victims so far, though investigators believe there may be more. The investigation is also examining the man's involvement with local running clubs and organized sports.

In a related development, the president of a regional sports league has been placed under judicial supervision for failure to report crimes. The Lille Academy has suspended the teacher, and support units have been deployed to the schools involved to assist students.