World

Photo: The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Protesters hold a sign that reads in French : "Lets hang the pedophiles" in front of the Palace of Justice in Brussels, Tuesday August 28, 2012. The court will decide Tuesday to free or not Michelle Martin, the ex-wife of notorious Belgian pedophile Marc Dutroux, who has served just over half her 30 year jail sentence for aiding him. (AP Photo/Thierry Charlier)

One of Belgium's most despised criminals, the accomplice and former wife of a pedophile and child killer who let two of his victims starve to death, left prison for a convent after serving barely half her 30-year sentence.

The nation's highest court on Tuesday approved a ruling that Michelle Martin can leave prison early despite her part in the mid-1990s kidnappings, rapes and killings by her then-husband, Marc Dutroux.

Prison spokesman Laurent Sempot said Martin left prison in an unmarked vehicle late Tuesday.

Paul Marchal, whose daughter An was one of Dutroux's victims, says "there is only one word for this. This is simply absurd."