After more than a month of prosecution testimony the last two days have been given over to an attempt at finding a defence argument for the Fourniret couple.
On Monday, Monique Olivier's lawyer could only argue that although she had no alternative but to admit her guilt, her crimes were slightly less horrific than her husband's, and therefore, he hoped that her sentence might be a bit more lenient.
Yesterday, it was the turn of Fourniret's counsel. How does one defend the indefensible? Just one of his crimes should merit a life sentence but the court had endured a whole catalogue of horror.
If he searched for a grain of humanity he couldn't find one. All he could say at the end of his summing up was that Fourniret would not appeal.
At three o'clock the sitting was almost over. The accused were asked if they had any final words. Monique Olivier mumbled her regrets. Fourniret wanted to read out more of his scribblings - some even in verse.
His lawyer held his head in his hands.
One of the victim's fathers muttered. "Pauvre type".
All rests now in the hands of the jury.
Fourniret is to serve the rest of his life in prison. His wife is to serve 28 years.
The families of their victims will also serve the rest of their lives mourning the young girls who fell prey to this evil pair.
