A man in the city of Charleroi has been found guilty of sexual violence against his underage cousin and for attempted rape of her and of a farm horse.
The case began on 23 August 2020, when the victim's mother filed a complaint with police in Châtelet, in the Hainaut region of Wallonia, reporting that her daughter, who was under 16 at the time, had been sexually abused by her cousin.
The victim told detectives the abuse had begun when she was in her second year of primary school and took place in the man's bedroom. She also reported an attempted rape.
“It took place in the defendant’s bedroom, and he also exerted psychological pressure,” the deputy public prosecutor had stated in court.
The man was detained in May 2021. He initially denied the allegations before later admitting to some of what he was accused of.
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Attempted rape of an animal
The man was also prosecuted for attempting to rape a horse while working at a farm stable.
According to the case presented in court, a witness found him standing on a stool behind the animal with his trousers down. He, nonetheless, denied attempting to rape the horse.
Statute of limitations
His defence had sought acquittal over the attempted rape of both his cousin and the animal.
For the other offences he confessed to, the defence requested a probationary suspension of the conviction, arguing that the case had reached the statute of limitations or the limitation period.
Although Charleroi prosecutors had requested seven years in prison initially, the court handed down a five-year sentence, with a five-year probationary suspension, meaning that his sentence (or part of it) is suspended for five years on certain conditions.
The man does not have to serve the suspended part as long as he follows the conditions imposed by the court during that period. If he breaks those conditions, then he can be thrown in jail.
The man had no previous criminal record.
