Father given suspended prison sentence for abusing newborn twins

The incidents took place in October 2023 when the children were 11 weeks old. One of the babies was admitted to UZ Gent with cardiac arrest. Medical examinations showed that both babies suffered several bone fractures in the weeks after their birth, which had been inflicted deliberately. During the investigation, the father admitted he had picked up his son “brutally” out of frustration and fatigue. According to the court, his actions were not the result of clumsiness but of deliberate violence.

The man, from Maldegem, was given a four-year suspended prison sentence with strict conditions, including therapy. He is only allowed to see his children under supervision. He was also convicted of domestic violence against the children’s mother. The mother and children will receive compensation and a medical expert will assess the long-term physical damage to one of the children. According to the court, the case highlights the need to be vigilant with young families and to support them, “especially in situations of stress, fatigue and relationship tensions”.

The public prosecutor had requested a seven-year prison sentence.