A Dutch dentist that mutilated his patients got 8 years in prison on April 26 in a French court.
Jacobus Van Nierop, 51, was found guilty of assault and fraud, but shown no signs of emotion when the verdict was delivered, AP reported.
Some 100 people had filed complaints against the “horror dentist,” (dubbed as such by French media). The plaintiffs alleged having multiple healthy teeth removed, drill bits left in their gums and teeth, abscesses, recurrent infections, and more.
Not only did Van Nierop cause “mutilations” or “permanent disabilities” to his patients from 2009 to 2012, but he was also overcharging them for the procedures and billed them for procedures he didn’t perform.
The 130-page ruling included 85 counts of assault (of which 45 were mutilations) and 61 counts of fraud against patients, their health insurance companies, and the local social security agency.
Procès du “dentiste de l'horreur” : « #VanNierop, il est mort au-dedans »>> https://t.co/4T3FFDZE3D pic.twitter.com/1Ygjj2294K
— Emilie Petit (@Em_Petit) March 14, 2016
The man was banned from practicing dentistry for life and fined 10,500 euros ($12,000). Damages due to 62 plaintiffs will be decided in June.
Van Nierop has 10 days to file an appeal. He has been detained in a French prison since January 2015.
“It’s silly to say that but I say it: It feels good,” said Marie-Jo Lemoine, a victim of Van Nierop. “He will have time to think about us. But, as for the rest, nothing has changed regarding what we'll be given in terms of compensation. It won’t be enough to repair the harm he caused. ”
Prosecutor Lucile Jaillon-Bru said that in Van Nierop “there was only greed, indifference to another, even some enjoyment in making others suffer.”
Van Nierop’s lawyer said the dentist committed no intentional or premeditated violence toward any of his patients.
However, psychiatric experts said Van Nierop shows a narcissistic pervert personality with an absence of all moral sense and that he doesn’t feel any compassion.
