Belgium's most notorious convicted murderer has appeared before a special court seeking to be released and placed under house arrest with an electronic tag.

Paedophile and child-killer Marc Dutroux's appeal for early release comes just three months before he completes 16 years of his life sentence for the kidnap and rape of six girls, and the murder of four of his victims.

The court will respond to his request by mid-February.

Al Jazeera's Simon McGregor-Wood reports.