BRUSSELS — The criminal who gave controversial testimony over the Ghent prostitution scene in the early 1990s jumped from his apartment window on Thursday in an apparent suicide attempt.

Public prosecutor Jean-Marie Berkvens said Dirk Trioen was slightly hurt in the 5am leap from his Wenduine apartment. The suicide attempt was reportedly sparked by relationship problems.

Trioen received a visit from his former wife on Wednesday night to “settle a few affairs”. However, the meeting got out of hand and Trioen became depressed after the woman left.

Emergency services were called in as Trioen started throwing household furniture out the window onto a parked car. The vehicle was severely damaged.

A journalist informed police about Trioen’s actions and because he had talked about weapons, a special intervention unit was called in.

“We tried in the first few hours to calm the man down, but that did not succeed. Eventually we intervened. He subsequently then jumped from the second floor,” the prosecutor said.

Prosecutor Berkvens said medical reasons might explain the behaviour of Trioen, who was later taken to hospital for treatment.

Due also to disturbances in the past, the Brugge public prosecutor is now demanding that Trioen be admitted to a psychiatric institution.

Trioen first made headlines for his testimony over the Bende van de Miljardair (The Billionaire’s Gang). Working as a guard, he knew the Ghent prostitution scene through and through, newspaper ‘De Standaard’ reported.

He told the Belgian Parliament’s woman smuggling commission in 1992 that local police officers and judiciary were turning a blind eye to reprehensible behaviour.

[Copyright Expatica News 2005]

Subject: Belgian news