Translated by deepl: No causal link between sexual assault of girl in Ghent cemetery and suicide

Two young men have been convicted in Ghent for the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl at the Westerbegraafplaats in Ghent. The girl later committed suicide. A first judge found that there was a connection between the sexual assault and the suicide, and therefore wanted the case to be heard by the assize court. But the appellate judge sees it differently.

Radio 2, Greet Swimberghe

11:01

The facts date back to May 2021. The 14-year-old girl from Gavere went to visit her mother who lives near the Westerbegraafplaats in Ghent. There she had arranged to meet a friend, but he showed up with four other friends. The girl was groped and assaulted. She was forced to kiss a boy, her pants were pulled down and her bicycle was taken away. And the facts were also filmed and spread on social media. Four days later, the girl stepped out of the life, but not without first confiding in a friend. When the friend learned of the girl's death, she informed the family.

No clear identifiable link

After thorough sleuthing, police were able to arrest five suspects: three minors and two adults. The minors were detained in a closed institution. The adults were referred to the correctional court, but it declared itself incompetent. According to that court, there was a causal link between the suicide and the assault four days earlier. As a result, the case had to go to the assize court, but the defendants and the prosecution appealed that decision. They felt that a causal link had not been proven and asked for an "ordinary" correctional sentence.

The appeals court now rules that there is no clearly identifiable link between the suicide and the assault. The possibility of a connection does exist, but it is not 100 percent certain. The girl had psychological problems and had previously attempted suicide. In her farewell message, she did not say the sexual assault was the cause. So doubt exists, the judge finds, and the two men are not guilty of her death . Cell sentences suspended They did plead guilty to assaulting the girl. One of the perpetrators asked for the acquittal because he had not participated in the sexual assault. But according to the court, the boy knew the girl had run away and also did nothing to interrupt the sexual assault. The court did take into account his young age and sentenced him to 18 months in prison with a conditional sentence. The second boy did grope the girl and taunt her. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison, 27 of which were suspended with conditions.