Convicted pedophile granted early release in Belgium now resides in Amsterdam

A 68-year-old Dutch man convicted of sex crimes involving multiple children was released from prison in Belgium after serving only seven years of a 19 year sentence. Pieter C. was living and working in Antwerp when he was convicted, but has relocated to the city center of Amsterdam since his release from prison, the Belgian newspaper Nieuwsblad on Wednesday.

C. was released from prison at the end of April after only seven years. For the past two months, he has resided in an apartment located in the center of Amsterdam. The 68-year-old Dutch national was handed a 19-year prison sentence and 15 years of treatment in a psychiatric facility by an Antwerp court in January 2016. C. was convicted of sexually abusing children in the Philippines and Cambodia.

The court investigation uncovered that Pieter C. and his wife ran an orphanage in Cambodia. The couple frequently organized fundraising events in Antwerp to support their orphanage, and they also adopted children. However, this was later revealed to be a cover for pedophilia. Three of the victims were their own adopted daughters. Also found on his computers were 700 gigabytes of child pornography, a collection he allegedly accumulated over 15 years.

In the summer of 2012, Pieter C. was arrested in Antwerp following a tip-off from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). However, just before his conviction by a Belgian court in January 2016, C. managed to escape. An international arrest warrant was issued, leading to his arrest in Cambodia in March of the same year after he surrendered to the police. He was subsequently extradited to Belgium.

On April 28, 2023, Pieter C. was granted conditional release by the criminal court in Ghent. In Belgium, there is more latitude for prisoners who demonstrate good behavior during their incarceration, which can sometimes lead to early release.“He was excessively punished, in our view. He has served more than seven years in prison,” said Pieter C.'s attorneys, Walter Van Steenbrugge and Dirk Grootjans, in response to the Belgian newspaper. “Numerous psychiatric reports in prison have proven to be favorable."

Child Focus, an organization involved in the case against Pieter C., was stunned to discover he had been released. Speaking for the organization, Heidi de Pauw expressed her disbelief, stating, "It is truly incomprehensible and downright shocking that someone who committed such acts has been released after barely seven of the 19 years in prison imposed.”

Heidi de Pauw questioned the decision to release Pieter C., considering his previous efforts to avoid justice, including hiding in Cambodia until he had no choice but to surrender. She noted that he showed no comprehension of his wrongdoing or guilt during his trial. “This is a slap in the face of every victim, of all services, including the police,” she said.

De Pauw also voiced concerns about whether someone with such a severe history of pedophilia could truly heal. "We can only hope he has become a better person in prison. Can someone who committed such serious acts still function in society? I am already very worried,” she said.