A 14-year-old was arrested at his home in Braine-le-Comte following a fight in a schoolyard. The parents expressed their discomfort with the arrest. The prosecution has clarified the reason behind the procedure. The minor was arrested in his bed by two police officers and interrogated for three hours without his parents. The decision to arrest the teenager was made by the magistrate of the youth prosecutor’s office. The magistrate chose to arrest the teenager due to circumstances surrounding the case, the type and seriousness of the offense. However, all the safeguards of the procedure were implemented to ensure the best possible conditions for the hearing. The young man was detained until 1 p.m. which is within 48 hours that a suspect can be held according to the law. The Mons prosecutor’s office refrained from giving further comments since the young man is a minor.
Following a fight in a schoolyard, a 14-year-old was arrested by the police at his home in Braine-le-Comte. The parents had admitted to us that they had rather badly experienced this arrest. Today, the prosecution explains why it proceeded in this way.
An arrest out of bed by two police officers. A three-hour audition without the parents. Today, the prosecution justifies this procedure. It is a provision of justice decided by the magistrate of the youth prosecutor’s office.
An interpellation rather than a summons
“Following facts that were committed the day before, the magistrate considered that an arrest was justified. The police department was therefore asked to deprive this minor of liberty before his arrival at school to proceed with his hearing. “, explains Damien Verheyen, Deputy Public Prosecutor of Mons.
The magistrate therefore chose to arrest the teenager. The other option is the summons, so that the young person presents himself with his parents. The general criteria that tip the balance are multiple: the circumstances, the type of offence, the seriousness of the facts. Here it was a punch. Or the history between the two young people.
“All procedural safeguards are provided”
“The law provides for a whole series of rights to be respected in the context of hearings and in particular, with regard to minors, the compulsory presence of a lawyer during the hearing. And indeed, it is in the absence of the parents, but all the procedural guarantees are provided to be able to ensure that the hearing takes place in the best conditions”, assures the magistrate.
The young man was deprived of his liberty until 1 p.m. A suspect can be placed at the disposal of justice for 48 hours, regardless of his age.
The Mons prosecutor’s office does not comment further on the case, because the young man is a minor.
The case of the 14-year-old arrested at his home in Braine-le-Comte has raised questions regarding how minors are treated by the justice system. While the prosecutor’s office justifies the arrest as necessary for the investigation, the absence of the young person’s parents during the interrogation has been criticized. Both the circumstances of the case and the type of offence committed are factors that influence the decision between an arrest or a summons. However, it is important to note that all procedural safeguards are in place to ensure that the minor’s rights are respected. The case continues to be under investigation, and further details cannot be disclosed as the young person is a minor.
