MAASTRICHT - If the suspect in vice cases denies, the statements of alleged victims are the only legitimate evidence, but these statements alone are insufficient for a conviction. In addition, a "small amount of corroborating evidence" must then be available, and there is none in the PuberEnZo cases, the court said.T. was sentenced to six months probation and 240 hours of community service for possession of child pornography and firearms. He was released immediately yesterday after spending nearly eight months in pretrial detention. According to the prosecution, T. abused his position as a social worker. He allegedly caressed and groped two boys aged 11 and 16 when they were entrusted to his care by their parents and lived with him temporarily. They had to sleep, naked in bed with him, and he allegedly did not leave them alone in the shower either. One 18-year-old boy he allegedly raped, the prosecution said.
During the hearing of the criminal case two weeks ago, it became clear that the Provision for Foster Care broke with T. as a foster parent in 2005 after 15 years, following rumors about the Heerlen man sexually. His motivation to take in foster children was doubted.
T.'s counsel Serge Weening is satisfied: "Only I think that in this case the court could have pronounced sentence early. Then client would have been released sooner." There will be no compensation for eight months of wrongful imprisonment, because T. did receive a conviction. Whether the prosecution will appeal is not yet known.
