French police turn tide on rape-accused author

French police launched an appeal yesterday for more witnesses and victims to come forward in the case of a writer accused of raping a teenager.

Prosecutors launched an investigation into Gabriel Matzneff, 83, after a woman claimed they had a sexual relationship three decades ago, starting when she was 14.

The author has long been admired and even protected in Paris literary circles. Matzneff has described relationships with minors in his work.