Suspects of degrading treatment in healthcare institutions no longer want to be in jail and ask an ankle strap: « He has it very difficult emotionally » (Oudenaarde)

The brothers ND (18) and MD (21) appeared together with ZB (21), the girlfriend of ND, before the council chamber in Oudenaarde. The three young people have been arrested for a month for the degrading treatment of residents in different healthcare institutions. The lawyers of the brothers ask for electronic supervision. ZB’s lawyer requires a release under conditions, and also an electronic supervision. The council chamber will make a decision this afternoon. A fourth suspect appears before the council chamber on Friday.

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The file started at the beginning of March after a declaration of theft by a resident in the Woonzorgcentrum Meerspoort in Oudenaarde. Based on a bathing control, the police trainee ND tracked down. Wasply films from residents were found during the reading of his mobile. After thorough investigation, his girlfriend ZB, his brother MD and another friend were also arrested and arrested by the investigating judge.

The four suspects also made films of degrading treatments of residents in the De Branding care institution in Heule, the Mariahuis residential care centers in Gavere and the Samaritan in Nukerke and in the hospitals in Oudenaarde and Ronse. « My client provides total cooperation and takes his responsibility, » says Raan Colman, ND lawyer, who is seen by the court as a pivotal figure. « He has a very difficult time emotionally and realizes that his behavior cannot get through. We ask electronic supervision and are further awaiting the results of psychological and psychiatric research. »

« No explanation »

Master Bart van Lancker, MD lawyer, also asked for his client in the council chamber: « My client is very sorry, compared to the victims and their families, his colleagues in the Meerspoort and certainly also to his parents. Nothing during his upbringing suggested that he would be able to offer psychiatric research. He himself has no explanation for his behavior. »

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« Without wanting to generate compassion, I still have to print that my client is on a cell with three, together with internees. I understand that society is asking for retaliation. But this is still very young people and that is why detention damage must also be taken into account, » emphasizes Bart van Lancker.

“One -off fact”

Robbie Dewaele, lawyer of ZB, initially asks the release under conditions and subordinate electronic supervision: « My client, who has been working in healthcare for five years, is being accused of a one -off fact. She has admitted her mistake. We give the further investigation all the opportunities anyway. »