The criminal court of Walloon Brabant has convicted Michel B, a Limburg native born in 1956, of sexually assaulting his granddaughter, who was six years old when he attacked her.
The defendant was handed a five-year jail sentence by the court, but will only serve one year in prison, with the remainder of his sentence suspended.
During a conversation, the child inadvertently revealed that she had "played" with her grandfather's genitals while he was supervising his grandchildren as they played in his son's garden in Walloon Brabant on a hot day. His granddaughter was wearing a swimsuit, and he had taken her onto his lap.
At the hearing a month ago, the defendant admitted to touching his granddaughter's genitals after drinking too much alcohol and letting her lower her shorts under the pretext of playing. However, he denied penetrating her with his fingers or suggesting that the child play with his genitals.
The little girl's account, providing details that a six-year-old would not know, left little room for doubt. The victim also revealed that inappropriate touching had occurred during visits she made to her grandparents in the province of Limburg.
The defendant had already been required to undergo monitoring following acts of exhibitionism in the 2000s.
The sentence handed down on Thursday was in line with the prosecution's requests.
