Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
People gathered around a campfire
People gathered around a campfire Photo: 4masik/DepositPhotos
Crime
hazing
branding iron
burn
summer camp
Mark B.
branded
Public Posecutor
community service
assault
aggravated assault
Court of Appeals
appeal
court
Tuesday, November 5, 2019 - 11:00
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Scouts leader convicted of branding three children; Sentenced to community service

The court in 's-Hertogenbosch sentenced a 24-year-old scout leader from Goes to 180 hours of community service on appeal for branding three children during a summer camp in Belgium in 2017. The court convicted the man of aggravated assault on one child, and assault on the other two children.

The incident happened during a summer camp in August 2017. Mark B. was the scout leader of a group to which the three victims belonged. During a hazing ritual, new members are "branded" with an ink stamp. But in this case, B. had used the stamp to poke at the camp fire before the ritual, the court said in its ruling. When he put the stamp on the children's backs, it was still hot and caused burns on their bodies.

The Zeeland-West-Brabant court previously acquitted B., ruling that there was no evidence that the man intentionally injured the children. But the appeals court disagrees, ruling that B. acted intentionally. According to the appeals court, B. considerably crossed the line that can be imposed on hazing rituals.

"Through his actions, the man seriously infringed the physical integrity of the victims", the court said in its ruling. "In addition, he violated the trust the parents of the children had placed in him. They thought they could leave their children in good faith with an organization where they were safe."

In addition to the community service, the court also ordered B. to pay just over 700 euros in compensation to one of the victims. 

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Dutch could reopen cafe terraces, universities in three weeks: Report
  • ChristenUnie wants five-day mandatory reflection period before abortion, even in case of rape
  • Angry fishers dump rocks in front to Greenpeace headquarters
  • Suspects in fatal parking garage shooting in Amsterdam sentenced to 7 and 11 years in prison
  • 'Larges Dutch criminal investigation' finds corruption among Amsterdam police
  • Coronavirus infections set new six-week high; hospitalizations up 3 percent for the week

Top Stories

  • Dutch could reopen cafe terraces, universities in three weeks: Report
  • 'Larges Dutch criminal investigation' finds corruption among Amsterdam police
  • Coronavirus infections set new six-week high; hospitalizations up 3 percent for the week
  • Covid restrictions in nursing homes may be relaxed on Monday: Report
  • Dutch compliance with coronavirus measures seems to be declining, says van Dissel
  • Over 1.5 million covid vaccines given; New infection see-saw continues

© 2012-2021 NLTimes.nl, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact