Antwerp police arrest three men following discovery of thousands of abuse images

Initial complaint and May arrest

The judicial investigation began in May 2026 after a 50-year-old woman lodged a criminal complaint with authorities in Antwerp against her 41-year-old former partner. The complainant stated that she had been subjected to non-consensual sexual acts, unlawful video recording, and physical battery. Specifically, she reported that the suspect had recorded her without consent during sexual abuse. Police officers arrested the 41-year-old man on 8 May 2026 on suspicion of rape, voyeurism, and intentional assault and battery. Following his initial arrest, an examining magistrate placed the suspect under electronic monitoring. Later in the summer of 2026, the Antwerp council chamber granted his release under strict judicial conditions while forensic investigators initiated an examination of digital storage equipment seized during his arrest.

Recovery of digital recordings

During the technical examination of the seized computer and storage hardware, forensic specialists found thousands of images and video recordings documenting sexual assaults against women. The recovered media files showed multiple female victims who appeared heavily intoxicated, unconscious, or completely groggy during the recorded abuse. Investigators determined that the archived material spanned a wide timeframe, containing both recent files and historical recordings produced between 2008 and 2011. Analysis of the footage enabled detectives to identify two additional victims, both of whom had previous romantic relationships with the 41-year-old suspect. Both women confirmed to authorities that they had been drugged and abused, and both individuals subsequently filed formal criminal complaints.

Coordinated arrests and prosecutorial action

As the digital evidence pointed toward a broader circle of perpetrators, investigators uncovered the suspected involvement of two other men, aged 37 and 50. Antwerp police carried out a coordinated operation on 23 September 2026, arresting all three male suspects across the city on suspicion of rape and severe sexual offences. The Antwerp prosecutor's office announced the status of the proceedings on Saturday morning, 3 October 2026, detailing that all three individuals were placed under formal arrest warrants at the end of September.

Kato Belmans, spokesperson for the Antwerp prosecutor's office, addressed the widening scope of the case:

Meanwhile the investigation continued, revealing other serious moral offences in which two other victims, also ex-partners of that man, could be identified.

Earlier in the week, the council chamber confirmed the provisional detention of two suspects, with the court scheduled to decide on Monday regarding the custody status of the third suspect.

Defence claims and ongoing forensic inquiries

The 41-year-old primary suspect has contested the allegations throughout police questioning, denying that he administered any narcotics to women and asserting that all sexual encounters were consensual. In addition, legal counsel representing one of the other arrested suspects has raised legal challenges, arguing that the alleged actions attributed to his client might fall under the statutory limitation period. The prosecutor's office stated that establishing whether narcotics were administered remains subject to ongoing forensic verification, noting that the age of the older recordings from 2008 may prevent definitive chemical confirmation. The judicial investigation continues under an Antwerp investigative judge to establish the total number of victims and assess whether additional perpetrators participated in the offences.