French court sentences 'dentist of horror' to 8 years in jail

The dentist ripped out healthy teeth and left dozens of patients in a remote French village with broken jaws


Afp April 26, 2016
This file photo taken on March 8, 2016 shows folders of the trial of Dutch Jacobus Marinus Van Nierop dubbed as "The dentist of the horror" at the Nevers courthouse, central France. PHOTO: AFP

NEVERS, FRANCE: A French court on Tuesday sentenced a Dutch dentist to eight years in jail for deliberately mangling his patients' mouths in a case which saw him dubbed "the dentist of horror".

Jacobus van Nierop, 51, went on trial in March for ripping out healthy teeth and leaving dozens of patients with injuries including broken jaws, recurrent abscesses and septicaemia in the small central town of Chateau-Chinon.

'Dentist of horror' on trial for mutilating French patients

The court in the central town of Nevers also banned him from practising as a dentist and fined him 10,500 euros ($11,900).

During the trial, prosecutor Lucile Jaillon-Bru said Van Nierop had carried out "useless and painful procedures" on about 100 patients with the aim of having them reimbursed by medical insurance schemes.

She said he took "pleasure at causing pain" to his patients.

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ