The court of assizes in Douai, northern France, sentenced Dino Scala, nicknamed “The Rapist of the Sambre”, to 20 years in prison on Friday.

The man must serve at least two-thirds of his sentence. After leaving prison, he is no longer allowed to live in the Département du Nord. Scala has ten days to appeal.

The 61-year-old was on trial for 17 rapes, 12 attempted rapes, and 27 sexual assaults or attempted assaults.

Those crimes were committed between 1988 and 2018 near his home near the Sambre, on the border between France and Belgium. Among his victims were Belgian women.