A self-confessed serial killer and his wife have been sentenced to life in prison by a court in northern France.

Michel Fourniret, 66, dubbed the Ogre of the Ardennes, was found guilty of killing and raping or attempting to rape seven women and girls aged between 12 and 22 from 1987.

His wife, Monique Olivier, 59, who was convicted of acting as an accomplice for four of the murders and acting jointly in the case of a fifth, must serve at least 28 years of her prison term, the court said.

Fourniret, who had admitted to his crimes and said he would not appeal, operated mostly in the heavily wooded Ardennes region of northern France and in Belgium.

His wife was accused of helping him to select his victims, capture them and hide their bodies.

Fourniret is thought to have been involved in many more murders - including that of British student Joanna Parrish 18 years ago.

Joanna, 20, from Gloucester, was raped and murdered in Auxerre in 1990, while working as an English teacher during her gap year.

In March, Fourniret was given "mise en examen" status, making him an official suspect in the case.

After his sentencing, Joanna's parents Roger Parrish and Pauline Sewell, who attended the trial, issued a joint statement.

It read: "This is not the final chapter in our quest for justice for Joanna, we must wait to see if Fourniret is to be charged in connection with her death.

"Our hearts go out to the families of the victims of this killer because we know what they have gone through.

"We are very grateful to them for the support they gave us during our visits to France, indeed we would like to acknowledge the kindness and messages of hope from around the world we have received over the last 18 years."

Prosecutors in what was one of France's most gruesome cases in recent years described Fourniret and Olivier as a "devil with two faces".

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