Editing Marc Dutroux (section)

=== Initial rapes (1985–1989) ===
On 14 December 1985, Dutroux abducted Axelle D. During her testimony, she told the police that Dutroux's accomplice Peteghem had told her that "he was part of a gang" led by two gang leaders, "an Italian and a crazy stupid one." Jean van Peteghem admitted to having taken part in the abduction. He said he had abducted Axelle D. with Marc Dutroux and Michelle Martin. He had lived with Dutroux after being discharged from the military and having his marriage fail.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

Peteghem told police that his and Dutroux's first victims were two girls from [[Morlanwelz]]. These two victims were never located by police.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

On 7 June 1985, the first proven abduction by the two took place, the abduction of eleven-year-old Sylvie D. On 17 October 1985 the pair abducted Maria V., 19, from [[Peronnes-lez-Binche]]. Maria V. also identified a third man who took part in her abduction and appeared to be in his fifties. This man was never found by police.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}} On 17 January 1986, Catherine B., aged 18, was abducted from Obaix in [[Hainaut Province]]. Dutroux had one or two accomplices in her abduction who were never found by police. Peteghem was stationed as army personnel in Germany during that time and could not have assisted Dutroux.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

On 18 December 1985, Dutroux abducted Élisabeth G., 15, in [[Pont-à-Celles]]. Peteghem told police that Dutroux filmed Élisabeth naked and took pictures of her. At the beginning of February 1986, Martin, Dutroux and Peteghem were arrested. This had to a large extent been due to Peteghem giving out a lot of information about himself in conversations with the girls, which had been enough for police to identify him. The three were eventually convicted on 26 April 1989. Dutroux received 13{{frac|1|2}} years. Peteghem received 6{{frac|1|2}} years and Martin received 5 years. Dutroux received a harsher sentence because he had also committed several robberies with Peteghem. Dutroux was thus additionally convicted for the brutal robbery of a 58-year-old woman. The robbery was also committed with accomplices. One of the accomplices in this robbery was also never found by police.<ref name="nieuwsbald">{{cite web |title=Dutroux had zijn lesje geleerd |url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/hno19022004_049 |website=nieuwsblad.be |date=13 February 2004 |publisher=Bieuwsblad |access-date=9 November 2019 |archive-date=9 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109172527/https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/hno19022004_049 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The early release of Dutroux was granted by [[Melchior Wathelet]],<ref name="zeit">{{cite news |title=Die Spuren führen zu den Einflußreichen |url=https://www.zeit.de/2004/10/dutroux2 |newspaper=Die Zeit |date=26 February 2004 |access-date=9 November 2019 |archive-date=2 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190702111352/https://www.zeit.de/2004/10/dutroux2 |url-status=live |last1=Zeit |first1=(c) Die }}</ref> who was at that time the Belgian minister of justice; Dutroux's release was ordered against the advice of both the public prosecutor and the psychiatrist who had examined him in prison, who stated that Dutroux remained extremely dangerous.<ref name="nieuwsbald" />