CEO convicted of raping female colleague; Acquitted of molesting another

The Oost-Brabant court convicted a 47-year-old man from Budel of raping a female employee at a staff party for his company. He was sentenced to two years in prison, one of which was conditionally suspended. The court acquitted him of sexually assaulting another female employee at another company party due to insufficient evidence.

In the summer of 2020, Tim B. held a barbecue for his staff members on the grounds of his home. At one point, the victim went to her room in a B&B on the same property, where she was going to spend the night with several colleagues. B. followed her and told her to come back to the party. The woman said she agreed because she felt she had no choice but to listen to her boss. Toward the end of the party, B. raped her in the fitness room of his home.

B. admitted to having sex with the victim that evening but claimed that the initiative came entirely from her and that they had been having an affair ever since.

The court believed the victim. A colleague testified that she had a bad feeling about the situation all evening. She saw B. at various times being forceful with the victim, isolating her, and ignoring her when she said she did not want to. The victim’s medical documents also support that she was raped. Shortly after the incident, she officially reported sick with psychological complaints. The woman told the company doctor that she no longer felt safe at work and that she was afraid her boss would rape her again.

“The suspect abused his position and the victim’s trust in him. He was guided by his own lust and did not care about the woman or the consequences of his act for her,” the court said. B. seriously violated the victim’s personal and physical integrity, and she is still struggling with the psychological consequences of that evening.

In addition to the prison sentence, B. must also pay the victim 5,000 euros in compensation.

Another female employee accused B. of sexually assaulting her during another company party in November 2019. She said that when she came out of the toilet, B. was waiting for her. He groped her buttocks and kissed her on the neck.

The court said it believed the woman, but there was insufficient evidence in the criminal file to prove the assault. The court, therefore, acquitted the man of this charge.