Isolation and Alcohol: The Journey of a Moroccan Woman Before the Belgian Justice System

The criminal court has rendered its verdict concerning a Moroccan mother, prosecuted for intentional assault and battery on another woman. Despite the seriousness of the facts, the Belgian justice system has opted for clemency by pronouncing a suspension of the pronouncement of the conviction for a period of five years. This decision allows the defendant, an employee in the cleaning sector, to avoid a criminal record that would have inevitably compromised her professional future, reports La Dernière Heure.

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The assault, which occurred on May 30, 2024 and was captured by surveillance cameras, was described as brutal by the investigators. The victim was thrown to the ground before receiving several punches, resulting in a perforated eardrum, a broken collarbone, and several months of incapacity to work. Confronted with the damning images during the hearing, the accused finally admitted her responsibility, conceding between sobs: "The truth is, I hit her... She had started insulting me."

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The defense has highlighted the previously impeccable profile of this nearly fifty-year-old woman, whose children reside in Morocco and who suffers from deep "social isolation" in Belgium. The lawyer pleaded that his client, under the influence of alcohol at the time of the events, had acted in a completely unusual way, driven by a momentary loss of control that she now bitterly regrets.

The public prosecutor’s office did not object to this measure of favor, emphasizing the absence of a criminal record for the person concerned. Although she escapes an immediate criminal sanction, the Moroccan national will nevertheless have to face heavy financial consequences in civil proceedings to repair the significant physical damages suffered by the victim.