Belgian jail officials, prosecutors against release of Dutroux

Dutroux: Belgium’s most nototious criminal.

DPA/Brussels

Belgian public prosecutors and prison officials have recommended that paedophile killer Marc Dutroux stay behind bars, media group Sudpresse reported yesterday, ahead of a court ruling in his contentious bid for early release.

In the first of two rulings, judges will decide tomorrow whether Dutroux should wear an electronic ankle bracelet in the case of an early release from prison.

The 56-year-old is Belgium’s most notorious criminal. In the 1990s, he kidnapped six girls, raping and confining them in a dungeon-like cellar. Four of them died.

Dutroux was sentenced to life in prison in 2004, but under Belgian law he can request a conditional release after completing one third-of his sentence – a point that would be met on April 30 after almost 16 years behind bars.

The Belgian judicial system is going through the motions triggered by his request, although an early release is deemed unlikely.

In their recommendations, the state prosecution and prison directors had given four reasons why Dutroux should not be set free, Sudpresse reported.

Firstly, they said it would be difficult for him to find work as nobody would employ him – a problem that Dutroux himself had admitted to friends.

He was considering working as a plumber or car mechanic, Sudpresse reported.

Secondly, Dutroux had nowhere to live after his closest friend had retracted an offer to accommodate him upon release, the newspaper wrote.

In addition to this, recent statements by Dutroux had shown that he could still cause distress to his victims, and that there was a risk of re-offence, Sudpresse wrote, quoting him as saying that he had “treated the little girls with humanity”.

Tomorrow’s hearing will be public, but it remained unclear whether Dutroux would be present.

His last court hearing, on February 4, was held behind closed doors and under heavy police guard.

There was widespread outrage last year when Dutroux’s ex-wife and accomplice, Michelle Martin, was freed after serving 16 years of a 30-year sentence.