Radio presenter in court for trial over child abuse images
The hearing has begun of former radio presenter Sven Pichal, who is charged with possession and distribution of images of child sexual abuse. He arrived at the court in Antwerp with his lawyers shortly before 10.00 on Monday.
Lawyer Kris Luyckx, acting for the support organisation Child Focus, which brought the case, sees Pichal, 45, as a pivotal figure in a network of offenders. “He was the one who had the images of child sexual abuse ‘en masse’ and also distributed them ‘en masse’,” he told the court on Monday.
According to Luyckx, the men involved exchanged images and chat messages “of unprecedented horror”. The prosecution is seeking a 37-month sentence for Pichal, with one year in custody and the remainder on probation, as well as a fine of 8,000 euros. Sentencing is due to take place on 16 December.
Pichal, who joined Flemish public broadcaster VRT in 2000, was arrested in August 2023 on suspicion of exchanging images of severe child abuse with several other men. Police carrying out searches at Pichal’s home and in the storeroom of a second residence found dozens of images involving serious child sexual abuse, Luyckx said. The youngest victims were only two or three years old.
Others involved in the case have already been sentenced: a defendant identified as BD received eight years in prison for raping two minors and for possessing and distributing images of sexual abuse. He appealed and the verdict will follow on 21 November.
Another defendant, RDB, was given 30 months in jail with probation deferred. Like Pichal, he was on trial for possessing and distributing images of child sexual abuse. A third man was sentenced to a suspended sentence of 18 months.
Child Focus can be contacted on 02 475 44 11 or the 24-hour helpline 116 000.
#FlandersNewsService | Sven Pichal arrives with lawyers Davina Simons and Walter Damen at the Antwerp correctional court, 18 November 2024 © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM
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