Belgian Nurse Sentenced for Humiliating Patient Photos

A 47-year-old home nurse from Lebbeke, East Flanders, has been sentenced to 36 months in prison, half of it suspended, by the Brussels Criminal Court for taking and sharing humiliating photographs of patients in his care. The court found him guilty of inhumane treatment, theft from patients, and money laundering, according to VRT NWS.

A Betrayal of Trust

The investigation began in 2023 when the nurse was caught red-handed stealing money from an elderly man in Londerzeel whom he had been caring for for seven years. The patient had photographed the serial numbers of banknotes in his wallet and installed a hidden camera in his home to catch the thief. When police stopped the nurse shortly afterward, they found not only the marked banknotes but also a wedding ring belonging to another patient. A subsequent search of his home uncovered €70,000 in cash hidden in a pot in his wardrobe.

The Discovery of Humiliating Photos

The case took a far more disturbing turn when investigators analyzed the nurse’s phone. They discovered multiple humiliating photographs of patients that he had shared with a colleague via WhatsApp, accompanied by derogatory comments mocking the mental and physical condition of those in his care. Victims were sometimes placed naked in sexual poses and photographed.

Barbara Huylebroeck, the lawyer for the service company that employed the nurse, described the images as “terrible.” In WhatsApp conversations, she said, “the mental and physical condition of patients was mocked, who were filmed in inhumane conditions. The victims were sometimes placed naked in sexual poses and then photographed. The defendant had only one goal: humiliating his victims. He has gone very seriously wrong here.”

The victims included some of the most vulnerable members of society — patients with severe disabilities who could not speak or express themselves, including a 29-year-old woman with a severe disability cared for in an institution in Sint-Agatha-Berchem. As BRUZZ reported, lawyer Jean-Christophe De Block, representing the family of the young woman, told the court: “This is a terrible case. The victims are people who literally cannot express themselves! The bench here in front of me with civil parties is empty, because those people cannot speak. But the whole room is full of family members of victims, who have many questions. What else has happened that is not included in the investigation?”

Trial and Defense

The trial, which began in September 2025, was initially halted after the defense filed a recusal request. Defense lawyer Julie Crowet argued that the judge had shown bias by allowing the courtroom to applaud openly after the testimony of a victim’s sister, stating she had “never experienced such open applause in a courtroom” and that both she and her client “no longer felt that the judge was acting objectively.” The case was postponed to November 17 before resuming.

In court, the nurse denied all allegations. His defense lawyer characterized the photos as a case of “voyeurism” without sexual intent, claiming they were “a, admittedly tasteless, way of processing those difficult situations” and that there was “nothing perverse or systematic” about them.

The nurse’s colleague, who also shared similar photos, was sentenced to 150 hours of community service for inhumane treatment. A friend who admitted the €70,000 found in the nurse’s home belonged largely to him received 120 hours of community service for money laundering.

Broader Concerns About Vulnerable Patient Care

This case highlights serious concerns about privacy violations and abuse of trust in the healthcare sector, particularly in home care settings where patients are especially vulnerable. The victims were among those least able to defend themselves or report abuse.

The problem extends beyond this single case. In 2024, more than 770 reports of elder abuse were received in Brussels alone through the services “Écoute Seniors” and “Brussels Meldpunt,” according to BRUZZ. Of the 342 files opened that year, 72 percent concerned situations within institutions while 28 percent concerned home situations. In Flanders, an average of 30 reports per week of violence against the elderly were registered in 2024, with 1,519 situations documented by VLOCO, the Flemish center for assistance with elder abuse.

Related cases have also emerged in recent years. In October 2023, a home nurse was sentenced to 18 months probation by the Brussels Criminal Court for stealing from an elderly couple in Zemst while caring for them, as Ring TV reported.

What to Watch For

Mourad Ben Saad, the father of the 29-year-old victim, expressed both pain and relief at the verdict: “It is difficult to have to hear all this again. This hurts inside, but we are glad it is being exposed and that the defendants must answer before the judge.”

The sentencing sends a clear signal that courts take abuse of vulnerable patients seriously, but questions remain about what safeguards can be strengthened to prevent similar abuses in home care settings. As the family of one victim asked: “What else has happened that is not included in the investigation?”