Belgian Teacher Convicted of Raping Minor Student on School Trip
A 44-year-old teacher from Hotelschool Ter Duinen in Koksijde has been sentenced to 42 months in prison by the court in Oudenaarde for the rape and violation of sexual integrity of a 17-year-old student. The abuse occurred during a school-organized trip to a hospitality trade fair in Cologne, Germany, taking place on a school bus and in a hotel toilet for people with disabilities.
The Incident and Investigation
The case came to light on October 8, 2025, when the minor victim reported to the Care Center after Sexual Violence (Zorgcentrum na Seksueel Geweld) in Roeselare. She stated that she had been raped multiple times during the return journey from the study trip. According to Het Laatste Nieuws, both the student and the teacher were heavily intoxicated at the time, as were several other students on the bus.
During the investigation, multiple students who were on the bus testified that the teacher had also harassed or inappropriately touched them, including on their legs, lower back, and buttocks. One other student filed a formal complaint regarding this conduct.
The Trial and Defense
At his trial on May 22, 2026, the teacher, who is from Zottegem in East Flanders, apologized but maintained that the acts were consensual. “I offer my apologies, but there was mutual consent,” he told the court. His lawyer, Matthias Van Belleghem, requested acquittal. The Public Prosecution Service pursued charges of rape and violation of sexual integrity, citing aggravating circumstances that the victim was a minor and that the defendant held a position of authority and trust.
Court Ruling and Reasoning
The court delivered its verdict on June 19, 2026, firmly rejecting the teacher’s defense. The judge ruled that the teacher had abused his position of authority by facilitating and encouraging alcohol consumption among students and by exploiting the professional ambitions of the 17-year-old victim. As reported by HLN Koksijde, the court determined that as a minor, the victim could not give valid consent to sexual acts with someone in a position of authority, particularly given her level of intoxication.
The teacher was acquitted on a second charge of violating the sexual integrity of another female student due to reasonable doubt.
Sentence and Conditions
The court sentenced the teacher to 42 months in prison, with 30 months suspended on probation for five years. He is stripped of his civil rights for five years and banned from working in education, being a member of organizations involving minors, or participating in activities with minors for ten years.
The probation conditions require the teacher to undergo outpatient or residential treatment for alcohol and drug problems, as well as psychosocial and sexual therapy. He must pay the minor victim a provisional damages payment of €1,750, cover her legal costs of €2,750, and pay the hotel school €1 in moral damages. A court-appointed expert will determine the full extent of actual damages.
Broader Context
This case adds to a growing list of teacher sexual misconduct cases in Belgium in 2026, including a school director from Bruges convicted of abusing three students with mental disabilities and a 26-year-old teacher from Puurs-Sint-Amands sentenced for sexual relationships with 14- and 15-year-old students. These cases have sparked ongoing discussions about safeguarding measures in educational institutions.
The pre-trial coverage from HLN Oudenaarde noted that the prosecution had initially demanded four years in prison, half suspended.
What’s Next
The teacher will serve 12 months of active prison time while undergoing mandatory treatment programs. The full extent of the victim’s damages is yet to be determined by the court-appointed expert. Questions remain about whether the school will face any administrative consequences regarding its supervision practices during the trip, and whether either party will appeal the ruling.