A 24-year-old medical student in Belgium has been found guilty of raping a fellow student but will not face any custodial sentence after a court ruled that his “youth”, clean criminal record, and “promising future” as a gynaecologist were grounds to grant a suspended sentence.
The incident took place in Leuven on 8 November 2023, after a Halloween party in the city’s student nightlife district. The victim, who was heavily intoxicated, encountered the defendant on the street. CCTV footage confirmed she was unable to walk unaided, with her lawyer later telling the court that she was “stumbling, could no longer stand on her legs and needed support to avoid falling”.
According to the prosecution, the medical student approached her under the pretext of helping and ultimately brought her back to his student accommodation, where he raped her. The prosecution was clear in its argument: “He took advantage of her drunken state to indulge his sexual desires.”
The court accepted that the woman was in no condition to give consent. The verdict stated the facts were “serious and unacceptable” and acknowledged that sexual activity had taken place without the victim’s ability to consent. Despite this, the judge handed the man a suspended sentence, meaning no punishment would be enforced.
In her justification, the judge pointed to the defendant’s clean criminal record, his age, and the glowing character references provided by peers and mentors. “It is undeniable that he has exceeded the limits of what is permissible,” she said, “but he is still young.” Documents submitted to the court described the man as “a talented and committed young man who is highly appreciated both privately and professionally”.
The decision has triggered widespread anger, with many pointing to a familiar pattern in how rape cases are treated. The ruling has drawn comparisons with the 2016 Brock Turner case in the United States, where a Stanford University swimmer served just three months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman.
Such rulings reinforce a system in which the interests of perpetrators – particularly those from privileged or professional backgrounds – are consistently prioritised over justice for victims. “It is yet another ‘poor boy’ who gets away with sexual violence,” wrote Belgian author and commentator Sophie Van Reeth in an opinion piece following the verdict.
The defendant has been suspended from his position at UZ Leuven hospital, where he was training as a gynaecologist. In a statement, the hospital said it was “taking precautionary measures” and would assess the situation in collaboration with KU Leuven, the university where he studied.
The suspended sentence means that the conviction will appear on his criminal record but will not show up on the official certificate used for employment checks, unless he commits another offence during the suspension period.
The court did order the man to pay the victim €3,800 in moral and material damages – less than half of what she had requested. A restraining order was also denied. The public prosecutor has the option to appeal the ruling.
The case has prompted renewed scrutiny of how European courts deal with sexual violence and the ways in which character assessments can overshadow the gravity of proven criminal behaviour. Legal experts and campaigners have warned that such decisions risk undermining public confidence in the justice system, particularly for victims of sexual violence who are often already reluctant to come forward.
That a man could be found guilty of rape yet walk free because of his ambition to become a gynaecologist – a profession that centres on the care of women – is deeply concerning and has damaged the credibility and priorities of the courts in Belgium for many.
