De Gelder lets us show his face

In January 2009 De Gelder an amuck in a crèche in the Sint-Gillis district of the East Flemish town of Dendermonde. Two babies and a nursery nurse were killed in De Gelder’s frenzied knife attack at the Fabeltjesland crèche.

A week earlier, De Gelder had murdered an elderly woman in her home.

The judge at the court in Ghent (East Flanders) asked De Gelder on Friday if he would be prepared to allow images of his face to be published. Initially he agreed, only to change his mind half an hour later. However, he has now changed his mind once again.

At the start of day 7 of the trial on Monday morning, the judge asked the accused if he realised just how much what he had done had affected society.

De Gelder replied that "No one has ever really told me. As a result of my years of isolation, it’s difficult for me to explain things clearly".

During the course of Monday’s proceedings, police officers that attended the scene of the crèche stabbings, eye witnesses and members of the computer crime unit that examined De Gelder’s computer will all give evidence.

In the afternoon the pathologists that examined the bodies of the elderly woman and the victims of the crèche stabbings will also give evidence.

[Flandersnews.be / Expatica]