Expatica news

Dutroux was no ‘lone pervert’

1 June 2004

BRUSSELS – The lawyer for suspected Belgian child murderer Marc Dutroux on Monday insisted that his client was not a lone pervert but was receiving orders from a major paedophile network.

Making his closing arguments at Dutroux’s trial in the Belgian city of Arlon, lawyer Xavier Magnee said Belgium’s public prosecutors had “let down” the country by dismissing the theory that Dutroux was part of a network. 

Last week the chief prosecutor on the Dutroux case told the court that he believed the only people involved in the crimes Dutroux is accused of were the suspected child murderer himself and the three people on trial beside him.

On Monday Magnee argued such arguments were flawed.

He called on the jury to “open your eyes and look at the uncomfortable, troublesome issues.”

He then went on to list a large number of possible leads that could have supported the theory that Dutroux was part of a network, which the prosecution had failed to follow up.

These leads included alleged links between Dutroux and the local Mafia in his home city of Charleroi and the existence of a second secret cell where up to 25 people had been held prisoner.

The jury is respected to retire and consider its verdict on 14 June.

[Copyright Expatica 2004]

Subject: Belgian news