Belgian Teen Who Raped Woman on Rollerblades Is Interned

A 19-year-old Belgian man who, as a minor, dragged a woman off a canal towpath, beat her unconscious, knocked out her teeth, and raped her while she was rollerblading has been ordered to be interned rather than imprisoned. The decision by the Turnhout raadkamer (chamber of the council) has reignited debate about Belgium’s approach to mentally ill offenders.

According to Het Laatste Nieuws, three independent psychiatrists determined that Nathan T. was not criminally responsible for his actions due to a diagnosed personality disorder characterized by a profound lack of empathy. The attack occurred on August 1, 2024, along the Bocholt-Herentals Canal in Olen, when the then-17-year-old pulled the 28-year-old victim into bushes, beat her savagely, and attempted to rape her.

The Attack and Its Aftermath

The victim, a woman from Geel, was rollerblading along the towpath in broad daylight shortly before 8 p.m. when Nathan T. dragged her into the undergrowth. He struck her repeatedly in the face, knocking out her teeth, tore off her clothes, and attempted to rape her. A passing couple stopped briefly, but Nathan T. told them he was doing something “in peace” and they continued on their way.

Minutes later, a cyclist heard noises and investigated, discovering the scene. Nathan T. fled with his upper body exposed, and the victim was found severely bloodied and rushed to AZ Herentals hospital in critical condition. A massive manhunt involving a police helicopter with thermal imaging, sniffer dogs, and neighborhood alerts led to his arrest at his home in Herentals at 9:45 p.m. that evening. Remarkably, Nathan T. had called police himself to report a woman being attacked but concealed his own involvement.

A History of Violence

This was not Nathan T.’s first violent offense. In September 2022, when he was 15, he attacked an unknown young woman on the street in Herentals, pulling down her spaghetti straps before she escaped. Later the same day, he attacked Ellen (40) in the Koepoortstraat, knocking her to the ground and kicking her in the face. In an exclusive interview with HLN, Ellen described the attack: “I didn’t know what was happening to me. I saw a boy I had never seen before. I screamed out of fear, because he didn’t stop. He just raged on. As if I had done something to him and he wanted me dead.”

Following the 2022 attacks, Nathan T. was placed under juvenile court supervision but apparently did not receive adequate intervention. In the days before the August 2024 attack, he searched for images of sexual abuse of minors, including hard choking to unconsciousness.

The Decision to Intern

After nearly two years of investigation, the raadkamer ruled on June 26, 2026, that Nathan T. should be interned rather than tried and imprisoned. Under Belgium’s internment law (interneringswet), individuals who commit crimes but are found not criminally responsible due to mental illness are placed in Forensic Psychiatric Centers (FPCs) for treatment rather than punishment.

NNieuws reported that Nathan T. will remain in the Flemish detention center for minors at Beveren prison pending placement in an FPC. The duration of internment is indefinite and subject to periodic review based on risk assessment.

Both the defense and the victim’s legal team supported the decision. Victim’s lawyer Davina Simons told HLN: “It is an important signal that the seriousness of the facts was recognized. My client and society must be maximally protected against this man, and internment is the best decision for that.” Defense lawyer Kristof Lauwens called internment “the best for his client.”

Broader Implications

The case has drawn comparisons to the 2019 murder of Julie Van Espen, who was killed along the Albert Canal in Antwerp by Steve Bakelmans, a previously convicted offender. Both cases involve attacks along Belgian canals and have raised concerns about the justice system’s handling of violent offenders.

Belgium’s internment system has faced repeated criticism from human rights organizations and the European Court of Human Rights for inadequate facilities and long waiting times for FPC placements. Critics argue that internees sometimes languish in regular prisons without proper treatment, while supporters maintain that the system’s rehabilitative approach is more humane and effective than punitive incarceration for mentally ill offenders.

The case also highlights gaps in early intervention. Nathan T. was under juvenile court supervision after the 2022 attacks but escalated to near-fatal violence two years later, raising questions about whether earlier, more intensive mental health treatment could have prevented the August 2024 assault.

What’s Next

Nathan T. currently awaits transfer to a Forensic Psychiatric Center, where he will receive treatment for his diagnosed personality disorder. The case is likely to fuel ongoing debates in Belgium about the balance between public safety, mental health care, and the rights of offenders — particularly as the country grapples with questions about youth justice reform and violence against women in public spaces.