The Court of Appeal in Ghent has reduced the sentence given to a former primary school teacher at a primary school in Destelbergen (East Flanders). The 52-year-old had been given 6-year prison sentence by the Ghent Criminal Court. The Court of Appeal has now reduced this to 5 years, 1 of which suspended on condition that the man abides by certain conditions set by the court. For instance, that he must seek treatment for his sexual deviancy issues and that he is no longer allowed to teach minors.
Court of Appeal gives a lighter sentence to a former teacher that abused pupils at an East Flemish primary school
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During a 3-year period the man sexually assaulted 14 underage boys. The man was a teacher at the school for 26 years. He was convicted on 14 counts of molestation of minors, 5 counts of voyeurism committed against boys and the possession of images of the sexual abuse of minors. His victims were in the 2nd and 3rd years of primary school (aged between 7 and 9).
In reducing his sentence the Court of Appeal took into account the sense of guilt felt by the man for what he has done and the therapy that his is now undergoing. The Court of Appeal believes that the risk that he will reoffend is zero.
Abuse and voyeurism
The case came to light when a mother took her son to Ghent University Hospital. There she told staff that her son had been molested by a teacher. The police then carried out a search of the teacher’s home.
The police found evidence of voyeurism. The teacher had filmed 5 pupils while they were getting changed for swimming lessons. A large amount of footage of the sexual abuse of minors was also found on his computer. He also had actively searched the internet for images and footage of the abuse of child victims that physically resembled his pupils.