A 74-year-old man from Belgium has been sentenced to five years in prison for sexually assaulting a young boy with Down’s syndrome. The retired doctor, who practiced in Liège, received the verdict at the Liège Court of Appeal, with one-third of the sentence suspended. The incidents occurred in March and May 2021, as reported by the child, who disclosed being assaulted twice by the defendant. One of the assaults took place during a shared shower at the doctor’s residence after a sports activity. The child’s father had a close friendship with the perpetrator, who continued to see patients post-retirement. The accused denied the allegations, but inconsistencies in his explanation raised doubts. Medical examinations confirmed signs of abuse, and a psychological evaluation described him as having a narcissistic personality.

In a previous trial, the man was initially sentenced to five years, with two-thirds of the term suspended. Prosecutors sought a six-year jail term due to the victim’s vulnerability, while the defendant’s legal team argued for acquittal or a suspended sentence. This case comes amid another shocking incident in France involving Joel Le Scouarnec, a 74-year-old surgeon convicted of sexually assaulting numerous individuals, many of whom were underage patients, over a prolonged period. Le Scouarnec confessed to multiple rapes and assaults, leading to a 20-year prison sentence. Police uncovered electronic records detailing decades of abuse, with victims spanning hospitals and medical facilities in western France. The surgeon maintained detailed diaries documenting his crimes, proudly declaring himself a pedophile on his birthday each year.