Fifteen months with partial suspended sentence for burglary of chip shop in Jodoigne
A man has been sentenced to fifteen months in prison, part of which is suspended on probation, after breaking into a chip shop in Jodoigne and causing damage inside.
Fifteen months with partial suspended sentence for burglary of chip shop in Jodoigne
A criminal tribunal confirmed a sentence of fifteen months imprisonment, part of which is suspended on probation, against a man who had broken into a chip shop in Jodoigne during the night of 2 March 2025. The defendant, who had opposed a default judgment handed down in November the previous year, attempted to minimise his actions by claiming he had only taken a sausage to feed his dog. Source: DHNET
To gain access to the establishment, the accused had broken a window pane. Once inside, he had vandalised the cash register and scattered provisions and kitchen equipment across the floor. During his arrest, he had resisted police officers and hurled insults at them.
The judicial file also included offences that occurred a few weeks after the burglary of the chip shop. The same individual had thrown a paving stone at the glass door of a house in Jodoigne before forcibly entering it. He explained this action by claiming that the owner had hidden his wife and was keeping his payment card while he was in prison.
The defence argued in favour of a community service sentence, contending that his client's multiple prior convictions proved the ineffectiveness of custodial sentences. It maintained that the man, who at that time had no stable home, had committed these acts as a cry for help. Now housed in another location in Walloon Brabant and receiving a social integration income, the condemned man appears to be entering a phase of stabilisation.
The public prosecutor's office sought to maintain the initial decision, highlighting the defendant's repeated delinquent behaviour and the existence of additional proceedings against him. The court ultimately confirmed the fifteen months imprisonment, of which seven and a half are suspended on probation. To benefit from this measure, the man must refrain from any alcohol consumption and accept medical and psychological support.
Source: DHnet