Jury out in Dutroux rape and murder trial

The jury in the trial of Marc Dutroux for the rape and murder of young girls retired to consider their verdicts today.

The eight women and four men were briefly called together by the judge before being formally sent out at the end of three months of often-emotional testimony Belgian town of Arlon.

They will be sequestered in a police barracks throughout their deliberations.

Dutroux admits kidnapping and sexually abusing the two girls, Sabine Dardenne and Laetitia Delhez, who were rescued from a basement prison in his house two days before his 1996, arrest.

But he denies killing two teenagers as well as an alleged accomplice, Bernard Weinstein. He also denies involvement in the kidnapping and deaths of two eight-year-olds, Julie Lejeune and Melissa Russo, both of whom starved to death in his basement.

All five bodies were found buried on Dutroux properties.

The girls’ disappearances and the subsequent bungling of the investigation shocked Belgium and led to an increased focus on child protection and reforms of the judiciary and police.

In his evidence, Dutroux insisted that he only played a small role in the case and has sought to shift responsibility to his three co-defendants – including his ex-wife, Michelle Martin – and a shadowy crime network he claims is still at large.

Dutroux faces life in prison if convicted. Under Belgian law, there is no need for the jury to reach a unanimous verdict. A decision could be made by an eight-to-four majority.