Belgian judges are today reviewing Marc Dutroux’s case to see if the notorious paedophile serial killer can be freed after 23 years behind bars.
The move has reportedly sparked outrage from his victims’ families and from the Belgian public.
Today (Thursday), the Belgian judiciary will review his file to examine whether he should be a allowed to undergo a psychiatric evaluation request that could eventually see him released.
The child rapist has been in jail for 23 years for kidnapping, raping and murdering young girls.
Marc Dutroux, 63, was jailed for life in 2004 for abducting six young girls in 1995 and 1996 and holding them prisoner in sex dungeon where he raped them repeatedly.
He was also jailed for the deaths of four of them, two murdered and two starved to death.
The Brussels court is to examine a request for experts to be consulted to establish the mental state of Dutroux and whether he would offend again if freed.
Exceptionally, the court will conduct proceedings at the Nivelles prison, where Dutroux is serving time.
The families and lawyers of his victims have described him as a “huge and perverse manipulator”, accusing him of having never told the truth or expressed regret.
According to local media, his lawyer Bruno Dayez has slammed his “scandalous” treatment in prison, with saying he has been left there “to rot”.
The lawyer says that since his arrest in 1996, “nothing has been done to favour his reform, or his reinsertion […] He is not even allowed to participate in group activities.”
Mr Dayez reportedly aims to see Dutroux freed in 2021.
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
The Ananova page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.
