Dominik Pelicot, the main defendant in the serial rapes of his drugged ex-wife over nearly a decade by himself and strangers he found over the internet, today pleaded with his family “to accept his apology” and hailed his ex-wife.

“I would like to begin by saluting the courage of my ex-wife,” the 72-year-old said, addressing the Avignon court that has been hearing the case since Sept. 2, taking the floor for the last time before the verdict is handed down.

“I ask her, as well as the rest of my family, to accept my apology,” Dominique Pelicot added. “I regret what I did, I made my family suffer for four years (since his actions were revealed), I apologize to them,” he said.

The court’s decision is expected to be announced on Thursday.

Sitting with 17 of his co-defendants behind a glass window, he reiterated that he told “the whole truth” from the beginning of the trial.

He also addressed his lawyer, Beatrice Zavaro, who did not allow him to “give up.” Otherwise, “that would have been evidence of cowardice to my people and would have made it easier for the defendants by offering them an excuse, so I held my ground.”

“I have been called many names, I intend to be forgotten,” noted Dominique Pelico, whom lawyers for his co-defendants have described as a “Dragon of Mazan” or “wolf” who allegedly framed his clients by making them believe that his wife had agreed to these acts and was pretending to be asleep.

He said that “the deprivation of no longer seeing my family is worse than the deprivation of my freedom”. “I can tell my entire family that I love them. Here, you have the rest of my life in your hands,” he concluded, addressing the five judges of the court.

The prosecution has asked that Dominic Pelicot be given the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, as he is considered the mastermind of this crime.

For 49 defendants, the prosecution has asked for sentences ranging from 10 to 18 years in prison, while only one, who did not rape Peliko, has proposed a sentence of four years in prison.

The five judges will retire today to deliberate and are expected to announce their decision on Thursday morning, but, as court president Rozer Atala explained, “if we need extra time, the announcement of the decision can be made on Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.”