Parts of the Bunssummerheide heath in Limburg was closed to the public on Tuesday so that judges involved in a cold case trial can revisit the scene of a murder 21 years ago.

Court officials, public prosecutors, defendant Jos Brech and relatives of Nicky Verstappen will revisit the place where the boy’s body was found in 1998 after he disappeared from a summer camp.

Brech is currently on trial for killing the boy. He was arrested in Spain a year ago, just a few days after police announced that his DNA had been found on the boy’s body.

Some 100 police officers and soldiers are patrolling the edge of the area where the inspection will take place and air space above the heath has also been closed off.

Earlier this week, newspapers and television news organisations lost their bid to have the visit opened to the media. ‘We want to limit the number of people in order to ensure an orderly and safe visit,’ the court said.