Dutroux to blame others for child rapes and murders

Marc Dutroux, chief defendant in a horrific child rape and murder trial that has transfixed Belgium for three months, went into the witness box today to make his final arguments before a jury decides his fate.

Dutroux, who faces up to life in prison if convicted, requested three hours to read a 21 page statement, in which he intended to play up the role of his three co-defendants in the crimes and seek to play down the central role prosecutors say he had, according to his lawyers.

“He will say that he is not a psychopath as they claim him to be,” said Ronny Baudewijn .

It was unclear whether the other defendants – Dutroux’s ex-wife, Michelle Martin, and two alleged accomplices, Michel Lelievre and Michel Nihoul – would also make closing statements.

After the final words are heard, the eight women and four men on the jury sitting in Arlon were to receive the complete list of charges – about 260 in all – before beginning actual deliberations on Monday.

A verdict could come as early as the middle of next week.

Dutroux, 47, is accused of murdering two girls, kidnapping leading to the death of another two, and other charges of abduction, rape, torture and drug trafficking in the mid 1990s. At the time he was out on parole following a prison sentence for raping young girls in the 1980s.

Dutroux has admitted kidnapping and abusing girls, but claims he was a “small fish” working for a criminal network recruiting prostitutes across Europe – a scenario rejected by prosecutors.

The bodies of four girls were found buried on Dutroux’s property after his 1996 arrest.

Two eight-year-olds, Julie Lejeune and Melissa Russo, were kidnapped in June 1995.

Both girls, imprisoned in a hidden cell in his basement, starved to death in early 1996 while Dutroux was serving a prison sentence for car theft. Although he says he gave money to his wife for food, she testified she was too scared to go into the cellar to feed them.

An Marchal, then 17, and her 19-year-old friend, Eefje Lambrecks, were kidnapped in August 1995. Coroners testified they were drugged and buried alive with plastic bags over their heads.

Police arrested Dutroux and his ex-wife after rescuing another two girls in August 1996.