A 42-year-old former professional footballer was handed a four-year prison sentence by the Liège Criminal Court on Wednesday for raping a young student. The victim was assaulted in her student flat in Liège.
The incident took place on the evening of 24 April 2019. Neighbours of the young woman's student accommodation were alerted by her cries for help. They tried to break down the door to rescue the victim, who was being strangled by the defendant.
The man fled before the emergency services arrived, but he was caught and identified by one of the neighbours.
The young woman reported that she had met him on the street, but that their encounter had turned violent when the defendant became aggressive and raped her.
The defendant's DNA was found on the victim, which led to his identification.
The court took into account the excessive delay but sentenced the defendant to four years in prison.
