Bruno Dayez, the lawyer representing serial killer Marc Dutroux, continues to search for psychiatric experts willing to produce a favourable report on his client, asserting that Dutroux is now "completely harmless."
Marc Dutroux was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Court of Assizes in 2004 for multiple murders and rapes of young girls, including Julie and Mélissa, during the 1990s. He has made several attempts to secure early release, but all have so far been unsuccessful.
Last year, it emerged that his lawyer Dayez was seeking a psychiatrist willing to challenge the conclusions of the Penal Enforcement Court’s experts, who had determined in September 2020 that Dutroux remains a threat to society. Dayez acknowledged in 2024 that finding such a sympathetic psychiatrist might only be possible abroad.
This situation remains unchanged, according to a recent inquiry by Belga. Dayez describes Dutroux, with whom he maintains regular contact, as a "toothless circus lion" accustomed to prison life. However, he concedes that Dutroux’s mental state is still unhealthy.
"He is trapped in a monomaniacal discourse and certain beliefs he will never relinquish," Dayez explains. "He creates his own truth and fixates on a series of events for which he considers himself innocent."
Dayez also states that Dutroux suffers from a form of paranoia, insisting that Michel Nihoul, also tried in the Dutroux case, orchestrated certain kidnappings. The 2020 expert report further confirms Dutroux retains psychopathic traits and poses a high risk of reoffending.
Dayez acknowledges the almost nonexistent likelihood of Dutroux ever being granted parole, especially given the media attention surrounding the case. Despite this, he remains hopeful of finding a psychiatrist willing to take on the challenge.
