Dendermonde Court acquits man of kidnapping 13-year-old girl and sexual offenses

The Dendermonde correctional court acquitted a man of kidnapping a 13-year-old girl and sexual assault due to conflicting testimonies. The girl claimed she met the man on Snapchat, who then forcibly took her to his apartment and inappropriately touched her. The accused, however, stated he believed he was meeting a 17-year-old and denied any inappropriate behavior. The court found no conclusive evidence to support the girl's claims, as the content of Snapchat messages could not be retrieved, and other evidence corroborated the accused's account in some aspects. Consequently, the court ruled that the man's actions did not constitute a violation of sexual integrity and dismissed the civil party's claims.