The Charleroi Criminal Court on Monday sentenced a man in his fifties to six years in prison for rape, sexual assault, incitement to debauchery, and possession of images showing sexual abuse of minors.
The man, who has been held under electronic surveillance, escaped immediate arrest, which had been requested by the deputy public prosecutor.
On 20 June, police received a complaint from a young woman with a mental disability, who had been the victim of rape and groping. "She was petrified in bed. He even had the nerve to ask her if she liked it," the prosecution said.
Before this complaint was lodged, a 15-year-old girl, who was also mentally retarded and happened to be a friend of the defendant's daughter, had denounced similar behaviour on the part of the suspect.
The defendant admitted in court to the acts committed against the minor, but denied sexually assaulting the adult victim. According to the accused, that was a trap set by the victim and her mother after he refused to help them out.
He also admitted possessing around ten files showing sexual abuse of minors.
The prosecution sought, and obtained, a six-year prison sentence for the defendant.
The defence unsuccessfully sought an acquittal on the contested charges and a suspended sentence on the admitted offences.
