The Bruges court extended the detention of a 34-year-old man from Ostend by one month on suspicion of attempted murder.
This was confirmed by the Bruges branch of the West Flanders Public Prosecutor's Office. The suspect is alleged to have stabbed his 81-year-old downstairs neighbour.
At around 3 a.m. on Thursday, 4 September, the local police in Ostend received a report of a stabbing incident in a house on Epsomlaan.
An 81-year-old resident was found to have suffered life-threatening injuries. The victim was taken to the hospital in critical condition, but the Ostend resident was eventually out of danger fairly quickly.
The Public Prosecutor's Office requested a judicial investigation for attempted murder. The forensic team also went to the scene to carry out an investigation.
Meanwhile, a 34-year-old man, G.V., from Ostend, was arrested as a suspect the morning of the incident. The suspect is the victim's upstairs neighbour. He rents the top floor of the house of the 81-year-old man, together with his partner.
The following day, the suspect was brought before the Bruges investigating judge. The judge decided to keep the Ostend resident in custody on suspicion of attempted murder.
On Tuesday morning, the court in Bruges ruled once again that G.V. must remain in prison for another month.
It has not been ruled out that the suspect may have committed the acts during a psychotic episode. The findings of the court psychiatrist will therefore likely be crucial.
