Grave desecrator institutionalised

9 February 2007

BRUSSELS – The court in Ghent has decided to institutionalise the woman who damaged more than 200 graves at the Gentbrugge cemetery at the end of last year. The psychiatric report says the 29-year-old Ghent resident is mentally ill.

The prosecution made the request on Wednesday that the woman be institutionalised. The woman’s defence lawyer did not oppose the request.

At about 11.00 p.m. on the night in question the woman was found in the cemetery with an iron bar and various knives on her person. The investigation indicates she was acting alone.

The woman managed to cause more than 100,000 euro in damage. The city of Ghent decided earlier to grant 200 euro compensation to each of the families to whom the graves belonged.

Both the public prosecution department and the woman’s attorney had urged that the woman be institutionalised. According to the psychiatric report the woman suffers from a serious form of psychosis. Based on this the court ordered that the woman be committed to care.

[Copyright Expatica 2007]

Subject: Belgian news