The Belgian Ministry of Justice issued a formal apology to the family of Julie Van Epsen on 31 December, acknowledging the errors that contributed to her tragic death.
Outgoing Minister of Justice Paul Van Tigchelt (Open VLD) stated that the apology extended to "the mistakes that the Justice Ministry made and the responsibility that the Justice bears in the death of Julie Van Espen," as well as "the immense and irreparable suffering inflicted on the family."
Several high-ranking officials, including the first president of the Court of Cassation, the current and former first president of the Antwerp Court of Appeal, the current attorney general of the Antwerp Court of Appeal and the current and former Minister of Justice represented the judiciary.
No appeal
This development stems from a ruling on 19 December 2024 by the Brussels Court of First Instance, which found the Belgian State liable for the rape and murder of Julie Van Espen.
The court concluded that errors in handling a prior case against her murderer, Steve Baekelmans, were partly the responsibility of the executive branch. These mistakes ultimately denied the Van Espen family the opportunity to prevent the tragic loss of their daughter and sister.
"The judiciary acknowledges the verdict and, therefore, the mistakes. That is why the outgoing Justice Minister decided not to appeal," said Van Tigchelt. "In consultation with Julie's parents, the same representatives of justice, the judiciary and the executive branch wish to offer their apologies to the entire population and, in particular, to Julie's family, her boyfriend, her friends and everyone who knew her."
The funeral ceremony for Julie Van Espen, Saturday 18 May 2019 in Schilde. Credit: Belga/Jonas Roossens
Van Tigchelt also expressed gratitude to the Van Espen family for their advocacy and "unwavering commitment to a safe society." "Through their efforts, they have contributed to significant reforms, including the new sexual criminal law, the establishment of Sexual Violence Care Centers, improved training for magistrates to combat sexual violence, increased funding for justice and measures to enhance the handling of sexual crimes in courts and tribunals."Van Espen was raped and murdered on 4 May 2019, by Baekelmans – a repeat offender with a history of violent and sexual crimes. On 30 June 2017, he was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for rape by the Antwerp Criminal Court.
However, the court did not order his immediate arrest, and nearly two years passed before his conviction was upheld on appeal – only after he had murdered Julie Van Espen and been apprehended for her killing. His final conviction took place on 26 June 2019.
The Justice Ministry reiterated its commitment to do everything possible to "ensure that such mistakes do not happen in the future."
