The Tournai Criminal Court has sentenced a 45-year-old man to four years in prison for robbing and assaulting elderly women in Walloon city, Mouscron, in August 2025.
The man targeted two women, stealing their personal belongings and bank cards. One of the victims, aged 80 and reliant on walking aids, was subjected to violence during the attack.
Appearing in custody, the defendant reportedly committed the robberies to finance a drug addiction, mainly seeking to obtain bank cards.
His lawyer argued that the man had been undergoing treatment but relapsed into cocaine and heroin use at the time of the crimes.
The defence also said his mental state had been affected by a separate ongoing investigation into alleged sexual misconduct. They asked the court to consider probation or community service rather than prison.
Prosecutors requested a four-year sentence, emphasising the vulnerability of the victims. The court followed that recommendation.
According to investigators, the suspect allegedly acted with a female accomplice. Her case is scheduled to be examined in early April, as she has not yet been formally served with a summons.
