A convicted Belgian serial killer and child rapist has failed to gain any sympathy after his lawyer revealed he was suffering with depression.

Lawyer Bruno Dayez revealed to news outlet La Meuse that his client Marc Dutroux, Belgium’s most notorious serial killer, “is teetering on the brink”.

Dutroux, 64, was arrested in 1996 and convicted in 2004 for kidnapping, torturing and sexually abusing six girls aged between eight and 19, four of whom died.

He is currently serving a life sentence in solitary confinement in the Prison of Nivelles and has reportedly lost all hope of parole, leading Dayez to say: “I’m worried he’s not doing well.”

Dayez, who has represented Dutroux since 2017, had set himself the goal of securing a release for his client by 2021.

However, a psychiatric assessment performed on the inmate last year revealed he is still a psychopath and therefore poses a great danger to society.

Dayez revealed that he calls his client several times a week, leading him to say: “I feel like I’m doing psychological counselling.”

Dutroux has 11 confirmed victims, two were killed by being buried alive after being wrapped in plastic and two others died of starvation and dehydration. Nine were raped.

The incidents occurred in 1985, 1986, 1995 and 1996.

Over 20 potential witnesses in the case died in mysterious circumstances.

Three others were convicted along with the unemployed electrician, including his ex-wife Michelle Martin who was released from prison and transferred to a convent 16 years into her 30-year sentence for complicity in the starving to death of two of the girls and for helping him to abduct some of the other victims.

Public opinion in Belgium has consistently been against any potential release for Dutroux.