NEVERS, France: A French court found a Dutch dentist guilty of assault and fraud Tuesday and sentenced him to eight years in prison.

Jacobus Van Nierop, 51, showed no signs of emotion when the court in the central town of Nevers returned its verdict. The court barred him from practicing dentistry for life. About 100 plaintiffs had filed complaints against Van Nierop, ranging from having multiple healthy teeth removed, drill bits left in their gums and teeth, abscesses, recurrent infections and misshapen mouths after he did work on patients.

Van Nierop, dubbed the “horror dentist” by the French media, was accused of causing “mutilations” or “permanent disabilities” to scores of patients from 2009 to 2012, of overcharging patients and billing them for imaginary procedures and of illegally practicing dentistry in France.

In their 130-page ruling, the judges convicted the Dutchman of 85 counts of assault, including 45 counts of mutilation, and of 61 counts of fraud against patients, their health insurance companies and the local social security agency. They fined him 10,500 euros ($12,000) and said they will decide the amount of damages due to 62 plaintiffs in June.

The court acquitted the defendant of six counts of assault and some counts of fraud. Van Nierop has 10 days to file an appeal. He has been detained in a French prison since January 2015.

Marie-Jo Lemoine, a victim of Van Nierop, celebrated the verdict. “It’s silly to say that but I say it: It feels good. He will have time to think about us. But, as for the rest, nothing has changed regarding what we’ll be given in terms of compensation. It won’t be enough to repair the harm he caused.