Dutroux trial delayed over scuffle

THE trial of Marc Dutroux, accused of kidnapping, raping and killing young girls, was delayed yesterday when he fought with a policemen escorting him from prison to the Belgian court.

Ronny Baudewyn, one of Dutroux’s lawyers, said: “A scuffle erupted whereby he (Dutroux) was pulled backward and injured his back.”

Dutroux “did not want to go to the court in Arlon, but back to his cell”, Baudewyn said.

Dutroux appeared in the defendants’ box with a bump over his right eye. Court spokesman Nico Snelders said Dutroux had injured himself by slamming his head against a wall. He said that was filmed by security cameras, but the earlier scuffle in the prison was not.

Judge Stephane Goux suspended the hearing to have a doctor look at Dutroux’s injuries.

Dutroux is on trial for kidnapping, abusing and murdering at least four girls in the mid-1990s in a basement dungeon.