During this week many lawyers and expert witnesses reached the conclusion that Fourniret and his wife were equal partners in crime. Indeed, she may even have masterminded the operation, or at least given him his 'licence to kill'.

One advocate  said to Olivier, "Vous etes une insulte aux femmes."  "You are an insult to women"

She likened the accused to the wolf in Red Riding Hood and a witch: Fourniret ensnaring his victims with politeness and Olivier, cunning as an old crone.

At least, Fourniret knew how to tell his daughter he loved her but Olivier seemed unable to understand love in any form. She showed not the slightest compassion for their victims when she lured them into the traps which would lead to their death.

It is not surprising then that they are asking for the same penalty for both the 'executioner and his accomplice'.

The families are not seeking pity nor revenge. All they want is justice and the knowledge that lessons have been learned from this case. There were many weaknesses in the judicial system which allowed the Fournirets to get away with murder for far too long.

Serial killers are, more often than not, caught by chance and not because of an allout effort to find them.

One lawyer pointed out mistakes made by magistrates, and other incompetent goings on which extended Fourniret's freedom to carry on. At the moment the French judiciary comes out badly compared to the system in Belgium.

All the families of the victims share the hope that criminals like these will be caught before they can commit so many heinous crimes again.