Former nursery teacher jailed for child abuse
A 40-year-old former nursery and care teacher has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for the sexual abuse of children at a primary school in East Flanders. He will also remain under supervision of the penal enforcement court for 15 years after his release.
The man, known locally as “meester Thijs”, abused children between 2020 and 2024 in a care room next to the classroom at De Springplank primary and nursery school in Onkerzele, near Geraardsbergen. He assaulted and raped several young pupils, filmed the acts, and stored more than 5,000 images of child abuse on a hard drive. Some he had produced himself.
The case began early last year when the FBI intercepted a video of a boy being abused. Europol traced the footage to the school in Onkerzele, leading to the man's arrest in February 2024. He has remained in custody since.
In total, 16 victims were identified, though investigators fear the actual number may be higher. Evidence also suggested possible offences dating back to 2008, but no proof was found for the intervening years.
Alongside the prison term, the court imposed a 20-year ban on teaching and on any contact with the victims. The court described his position as a trusted teacher as an “aggravating circumstance”.
The trial was held behind closed doors at the request of victims’ families. More than 30 civil parties joined the case, including parents, the school, Child Focus and the man’s former partner.
While prosecutors had called for the maximum sentence of 20 years, the court ruled that 12 years’ imprisonment, followed by strict supervision, struck a “proportional balance” between justice and the protection of society.
#FlandersNewsService | BELGA PHOTO BENOIT DOPPAGNE
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