‘Dentist Of Horror’ Jacobus van Nierop On Trial In France For Allegedly Mutilating Dozens Of Patients’ Mouths

Dutchman Jacobus van Nierop allegedly mutilated the mouths of more than 100 patients at his small dental practice in a remote French town.

‘Dentist Of Horror’ Jacobus van Nierop

On Tuesday, Van Nierop headed to trial in France to face charges of intentional violence and fraud regarding his alleged maltreatment of his patients, reported the BBC. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison and a $413,000 fine. More than 50 of Van Nierop’s patients, who were treated by him between 2009 and 2013, are seeking damages.

“He gave me seven or eight injections, and pulled out eight teeth in one go. I was gushing blood for three days,” a female patient who saw Van Nierop for braces told the AFP news agency. Instead, Van Nierop pulled the healthy teeth out, and then fitted dentures on her gums, which were raw from the extractions, reported CBS.

Charles-Joseph Oudin, the lawyer representing some of Van Nierop’s patients, hopes that the trial will help to reveal how the dentist’s actions were able to go on for such a lengthy period of time.

“We first hope to have some explanations, to… understand how Mr Van Nierop has been able to behave in such a way for so long, how things became so serious,” Oudin told the BBC.

Van Nierop, who was arrested back in 2013, fled France for Canada prior to going to trial. After he was found in New Brunswick, Canada, he was arrested once again, and has been detained in France for the last 18 months.

Van Nierop’s trial is expected to last until March 18.