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Life sentence for French killer | Life sentence for French killer |
(39 minutes later) | |
A 66-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison by a French court for murdering seven girls and young women. | |
Michel Fourniret, dubbed the "Ogre of the Ardennes", had admitted kidnapping and killing his victims between 1987 and 2001. | |
It is one of France's biggest serial killing cases in decades. | |
The court, in the town of Charleville Meziere, also gave his wife Monique Olivier a life sentence for complicity. She helped trap the victims. | |
The seven victims - most of whom were raped - were aged between 12 and 22. They were shot, strangled, or stabbed to death. | |
Most were killed in the Ardennes region of northern France and in Belgium. | |
Enigma | Enigma |
Fourniret would spot a potential victim while driving and stop to ask for directions, then persuade them to get into his car. | |
THE MURDER VICTIMS Isabelle Laville: Kidnapped in 1987 in Auxerre, central France, aged 17, and raped; body found in 2000Fabienne Leroy: Kidnapped and raped in Chalons-en-Champagne, eastern France, in 1988 aged 20; found next dayJeanne-Marie Desramault: Kidnapped in Charleville-Mezieres in 1989, aged 22; found in 2004 at Fourniret's former propertyElisabeth Brichet: Abducted in Namur, Belgium, in 1989, aged 12; found in 2004 at Fourniret's former propertyNatacha Danais: Kidnapped in 1990 near Nantes, western France, aged 13; found three days later on nearby beachCeline Saison: Kidnapped in Charleville-Mezieres in 2000, aged 18, and raped; found three months later in BelgiumMananya Thumphong: Abducted in 2001 in Sedan, north-east France, aged 13, and raped; found in Belgium in 2002 Trial under media glare | |
His wife's presence in the vehicle was designed to help reassure the victim, according to the prosecution. | |
Olivier, 59, must serve at least 28 years of her prison term, the court said. | |
Correspondents say the court proceedings failed to unlock Fourniret's personality and motives. | Correspondents say the court proceedings failed to unlock Fourniret's personality and motives. |
Although he admitted the murders, he refused to co-operate further during the two-month trial. | |
"This is the closure of the trial but not the closure of a life", Jean-Pierre Saison, father of 18-year-old Belgian victim Celine Saison, told the Associated Press news agency. | |
Fourniret said he would not appeal against his sentence. | Fourniret said he would not appeal against his sentence. |
He is also suspected of kidnapping, raping and murdering British teaching assistant Joanna Parrish, 20, in 1990 while she was working in the French town of Auxerre. | He is also suspected of kidnapping, raping and murdering British teaching assistant Joanna Parrish, 20, in 1990 while she was working in the French town of Auxerre. |
He is also being investigated over the kidnap and murder of Marie-Angele Domece, a 19-year-old disabled woman from France. | |
He denies involvement in either woman's death. | He denies involvement in either woman's death. |
Fourniret was arrested in Belgium in 2003 after an attempt to kidnap a 13-year-old girl, who managed to run away. |