Herve Lollic, a magistrate at the court, said the case did not rest on the testimony of the children, unlike in Outreau.

BBC: French justice vindicated in abuse trial

France has been shaken by what has become known as l'affaire d'Outreau.

ECONOMIST: The French judicial system

But Angers prosecutors said there were telling differences between the trials, and expressed confidence that the mistakes of Outreau would not be repeated.

BBC: French justice vindicated in abuse trial

Are they given too much responsibility too young? (Mr Burgaud was 29 when he took on the Outreau case.) Should they act single-handedly in sensitive cases?

ECONOMIST: The French judicial system