A court in Belgium will hold a hearing on Thursday to listen to the pros and cons in the matter of conducting a psychiatric evaluation of the pedophile and serial killer Marc Dutroux. Such investigations are conducted prior to applications for conditional release and the defendants 'request for an evaluation has aroused deep indignation among the victims' relatives and the public.

The now 62-year-old Dutroux was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2004 after admitting he murdered four of six girls he raped and held captive. Two of them were killed while Dutroux was serving a prison sentence for another kidnapping.

Relatives believe that Dutroux is a "perverted manipulator" who never expressed regret over what he did. But his lawyer Bruno Dayez says no one deserves to "rot" behind the lock and boom.

Thursday's hearing will be held in the prison where Dutroux is sitting.

In 2013, it was examined whether Marc Dutroux would be moved to house arrest. He had to stay in prison.