The Hindu : International : Dutroux sentenced to life term

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Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004

International

International

Dutroux sentenced to life term

ARLON (Belgium): Belgium's most reviled criminal, Marc Dutroux, was sentenced on Tuesday to life in prison for a spate of child kidnappings, rapes and murders that horrified the nation and drew international notoriety. In verdicts broadcast live on national television, Judge Stephane Goux said he hoped the sentencing would offer Dutroux's victims a sense of closure. Dutroux (47), was convicted last week of abducting, imprisoning and raping six girls. He was also found guilty of murdering two of the girls, 17-year-old An Marchal and 19-year-old Eefje Lambrecks, as well as an accomplice, Bernard Weinstein. Two other girls starved to death while being held in a hidden dungeon in his basement. Dutroux was handed a life sentence with no chance of parole because of ``the danger he represents to society," Mr. Goux said. His ex-wife, Michelle Martin, was sentenced to 30 years in prison. She was held responsible for the deaths of the two 8-year-olds, who starved to death while Dutroux was serving a short jail sentence for car theft. Martin testified she was too afraid to enter the basement to feed them. An accomplice, Michel Lelievre, was sentenced to 25 years behind bars. He was convicted of complicity in the kidnappings and other charges. The final co-defendant, Michel Nihoul, received a 5-year term for his part in a gang that smuggled drugs and people into Belgium. — AP

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