Medical student in Belgium convicted of rape but spared sentence because he is ‘young’ & ‘talented’
In a ruling that has sparked widespread outrage in Belgium, a judge found a medical student guilty of rape but granted him a suspended sentence, citing the 24-year-old as “a talented and engaged young man”.
According to De Morgen, the court delivered the verdict on Tuesday (1 April), ruling that while the crime was serious, the student would face no immediate legal punishment.
Victim too intoxicated to consent
The sexual assault took place on 8 Nov 2023, after the victim attended a Halloween party with friends in Leuven.
Later in the evening, while at a bar, she became heavily intoxicated and lost awareness of her surroundings. It remains unclear whether she was drugged.
Source: De Standaard
CCTV footage shows her stumbling and needing support to stay upright when the medical student approached, offering to help.
She asked him for directions to a nearby shop, but instead, he took her to his room, where he raped her.
The accused claimed he had asked for her consent multiple times, but the court ruled that sexual intercourse occurred while the victim was incapable of giving consent due to her state.
“The offence is serious and unacceptable,” the judge stated.
Guilty, but not punished
Despite the guilty verdict, the court decided not to impose a punishment on the medical student.
“The man clearly crossed the boundaries of what is acceptable,” the judge said, adding:
However, he is still young, has no criminal record, and is a talented and engaged person both professionally and privately.
The judge further explained that the suspended sentence would help the convicted man reflect on his actions, reduce the chance of reoffending, and avoid crippling his future employment prospects.
De Standaard reported that the court ordered him to pay his victim €3,500 (S$5,100) in moral and material damages, a reduction from the €9,800 (S$14,400) the victim initially requested.
The victim also asked for a restraining order, but this request was denied.
Victim will not appeal
Despite the public outrage over the ruling, the victim told a local newspaper that she will not be appealing the decision.
She explained that she had requested a restraining order out of concern that the aspiring doctor might harass her after the court case.
However, after consulting with her lawyer, she decided against an appeal, as she was advised it would likely not bring any meaningful change.
While a successful appeal could have resulted in higher financial compensation, that was not her primary concern.
“I just wanted him to be unable to become a doctor,” she said.
The student was training as a specialist in gynaecology, a medical field focusing on the female reproductive system.
The university where he was interning has since suspended him.
Although the conviction will not appear on his criminal record, he will be sentenced for both this rape and any new offence if he reoffends.
Also read: 27-year-old US woman arrested for sexually assaulting pet chihuahua, sold video online
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Featured image adapted from Het Laatste Nieuws, for illustration purposes only.
