French doctor goes on trial for allegedly poisoning 30 patients, killing 12

The trial of a French anaesthetist accused of poisoning 30 patients, 12 of whom died, over a nine-year period has begun in eastern France.

Frédéric Péchier, who faces life imprisonment if convicted, allegedly carried out the suspected crimes at two clinics in the city of Besançon between 2008 and 2017.

The 53-year-old former doctor, who has been banned from practising medicine, first came to the attention of authorities after 36-year-old Sandra Simard suffered cardiac arrest during a routine operation in January 2017.

A potentially lethal dose of potassium was found in a bag from which she was given anaesthesia, according to French media.

An investigation by French authorities uncovered dozens more cases of suspicious activities.

Prosecutors allege that Péchier, a father-of-three, contaminated the infusion pouches used by his colleagues in an effort to harm them professionally.

Péchier would then step in to help with resuscitation attempts, claims the prosecution, who suggests that he "always had a solution."

The doctor continues to maintain his innocence, denying that he was responsible for any of the poisonings, which led to the deaths of 12 of the 30 cardiac arrest victims, who were aged between 4 and 89.

His defence team says he "has every intention of proving his innocence in this case."

The trial, which is expected to last until December, has been described as "dizzying" by one of the victim's lawyers, owing to its "scale, duration and technical complexity."

Péchier is currently under judicial supervision and is not being held in custody.