Ciney: man tried for assault on partner after her escape through window
A man in his forties from Ciney appeared before the magistrate's court in Dinant for domestic violence that occurred in August 2025. The victim had fled through a window before being caught and beaten.
Ciney: man tried for assault on partner after her escape through window
The magistrate's court in Dinant examined on Wednesday a case of domestic violence dating back to 15 August 2025. The accused, a man born in 1981 and living in Ciney, appeared under police escort due to his current preventive detention.
The victim, who is still in a relationship with the defendant, provided more precise details to investigators than those presented by the accused. According to her testimony, an alcohol-fuelled dispute escalated. The man allegedly first threw various objects at her, forcing her to jump out of the window to get to safety. He then allegedly pursued her in the street, grabbed her by the hair and kicked her repeatedly to bring her back inside. The situation allegedly worsened when he overturned two speakers, one of them striking the woman's skull violently and causing a deep wound reaching the frontal bone.
The alert did not come from the victim herself, but from a passing witness who discovered the bloodied woman on the pavement and alerted the authorities, according to the Namur prosecutor's office.
Before magistrate president Hauquier, the accused attempted to minimise his responsibility. He claimed to have struck a mannequin whose rebound allegedly caused a speaker to fall on his partner. This version is contradicted by the victim's statements and medical findings.
The accused has suffered from alcohol dependence for nearly fifteen years and presents a toxic-depressive profile. He receives income from his mutual aid society and has recently been administratively struck off. When asked about the steps he had taken to address his addiction, he admitted to having undertaken virtually nothing.
The public prosecutor requested a sentence of fourteen months' imprisonment with probationary suspension. The prosecutor's representative expressed scepticism about the effectiveness of such a sentence, however: she fears the facts may be repeated, particularly as the victim does not appear to be distancing herself from her attacker. The verdict is expected on 24 June.
Furthermore, the defendant is the subject of another case concerning an attempted extortion committed recently in Profondeville, in which he allegedly threatened two individuals with a blade.
Source: DHNET
Source: DHnet