A 54-year-old man from Zonhoven who drugged and raped his wife for years was handed a 10 year prison sentence by the Hasselt Criminal Court on Friday.
The defendant sedated his wife by administering strong sedatives through cups of tea. While abusing his wife and raping her with various implements, he took photos and recorded videos.
These photos and videos were recovered from the suspect’s data carriers, who did not distribute the footage. The images reportedly depicted extreme forms of abuse. The man was arrested by the investigating judge in early 2025.
The defendant is currently in custody but did not attend the verdict. In addition to his 10 year prison sentence the court also ordered him to be placed at the disposal of the Sentencing Court for 10 years. He was also deprived of his rights for 10 years.
In the civil case, his now ex-wife was awarded €15,000 in provisional damages, along with the appointment of an expert to assess the damages. The civil case will reopen on 16 October. The man's daughter was awarded €1 in provisional damages.
