Hat tip Gates of Vienna)
A sickening case out of Belgium: A trial is in progress against three Pakistani men accused of gang-raping a university student at the University of Mons. According to the charges, the proprietor of a 24-hour food shop in Mons and two other men allegedly raped a university student after she stopped in to purchase cookies and a drink late at night. The exact details are contained in the newspaper article below by L'Avenir, which is covering the trial. (The article is translated by Fousesquawk.)
Without prejudging the eventual verdict in the trial, what I find shocking is the fact that the prosecution is only asking for sentences of 4-5 years on charges of gang rape. After reading hundreds of reports of rape in various Western European countries and the ridiculous sentences handed down, I really question whether they consider rape a serious offense.
A night of horror for a student at the University of Mons, who tells of being kidnapped and raped in a 24-hour store: "They are sexual predators".
Three men of Pakistani origin are being prosecuted for the rape of a student in the back room of a 24-hour store in Mons. They all deny the crime. The prosecutor's office is demanding 4-5 years in prison.
-By Cedric Ketelair
Posted October 13 2026 at 14:12
The 12th of December 2025 will also remain etched in the memory of Laura (first name is not her own). That night, the student of Mons University reportedly experienced a veritable nightmare in the back room of a 24-hour store situated on rue de la Cle in Mons. Since then, her life has turned upside down: nightmares, tears, isolation, fear of men; the wounds are still present.
It all began around 1:30 am. Laura, who spent the night in town, decided to go home to study. The exams were approaching. On the way, on the rue de la Cle, she entered a 24-hour store to buy some cookies. Leaving, she goes to the restrooms at a nearby cafe, then returns to the shop at 1:42 to buy a drink.
The shopkeeper invites her to have a drink at the rear of the shop. The young woman doesn't understand what he is saying and uses a translation app. She then follows him.
At 2:29, the shop closes its doors. Laura is still inside with the owner, who asks his employee to serve her a whisky and coke. Laura has her doubts. Worried, she sends several messages to her roommate. "I am at the all-night shop. If I don't come back, call the police," she writes.
The young girl drinks. Her vision becomes blurred. Then, everything goes black.
Underwear recovered in the store
It is 06:34 when Laura regains consciousness. She is alone in the back room. Disoriented, she leaves the premises and encounters some trash collectors. They will later describe having seen a terrified young woman who was looking constantly over her shoulder.
Her clothes were disheveled. She was no longer wearing underpants.
Upon returning to her roommate. Laura tells of having suffered sexual violence in the back room. The two women go to the hospital for a medical examination at Mons, then at Charleroi. DNA of a man is discovered in her vagina.
The police quickly raided the business. Two men were present. The third was found hiding in a closet. The investigators also recovered Laura's panties left on the floor. Tests would reveal the presence of sperm belonging to one of the three suspects, discovered during a second search by the police.
The young woman has only partial memories of that night. Nonetheless, she has identified the three men who were arrested and placed in detention.
Monday morning, the three defendants appeared before the criminal court of Mons to answer charges of aggravated rape and false imprisonment.
One of them is already charged with an attempted rape of another client in July 2025. According to the charges, this woman, who simply wanted to buy a cigarette, was allegedly led to the back room. The defendant then allegedly tried to force a kiss on her with his tongue.
The prosecution does not believe them
At the hearing, the three men denied the charges.
The owner of the business told a completely different version. According to him, the young student reportedly tried to rob him of 7,000 euros that he had in his pockets. He did not explain the irrefutable scientific analyses.
The public prosecutor does not believe this explanation and believes that the three defendants are co-perpetrators of the rape. "None of the three can explain the closure of the store while this young woman was inside," notes the prosecution, which is demanding sentences of 4 and 5 years in prison.
The court also opened the argument for an eventual requalification of the charge of non-assistance to a person in danger for two of the defendants.
The defense attorneys, for their part, argued for an acquittal
A young woman destroyed
In the courtroom, Laura can hardly contain her emotions. The tears flow. At moments, she has to leave the courtroom; the account of that night remains painful.
Since the incident, the young woman tells of having lost part of her life. She describes the nightmares, the fear of being approached by a man, the isolation, and the weight gain. She also lost her student job not being able to bring herself to leave her home.
In spite of her difficulties, she succeeded in finishing her first year at the university. However, it was necessary to adjust her schedule in order to continue her studies.
"I have the feeling of being thrown away like a broken toy that night. They took away my dignity, my body, my friends, my family, my education, and many other things. I demand justice," she declared.
Fortunately, the young woman can count on the support of her family and her mother.
Her attorney, Odile Maes, believes that the three defendants must be held accountable for what occurred in the store.
"That night, the three men knew very well what was happening in the back of the store. They all share responsibility," she argues.
The attorney also recalls the accusations brought by another client against one of the defendants. For her, the denials of the three men are not credible.
"They are sexual predators," Attorney Maes concludes.
The court will render its verdict at the beginning of November.
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