Thirty years in prison for Dave De K. in Dean case
Ghent Court of Assizes sentences Dave De K. for manslaughter and kidnapping; Romy W. released.
Follow-up to: Sentence to follow guilty verdict in Dean case Monday, 19 October 2026, 10:41
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Dave De K. has been sentenced to thirty years in prison for the manslaughter and kidnapping of a four-year-old boy. The Ghent Court of Assizes handed down the sentence.
The court sentenced De K. to thirty years in prison on Monday. The court thereby largely followed the prosecution's demand. The case concerned the death of a four-year-old boy who was found in Zeeland in January 2022. Because the victim was a minor, De Vector does not name him in this article.
The jury had earlier found De K. guilty of manslaughter and kidnapping. On Monday, the focus was on the sentence. The ruling means that the substantive assessment of his guilt has been completed; in Belgium, there are limited avenues for further legal remedies against a ruling by a Court of Assizes.
Romy W., who stood trial alongside De K., was released after the ruling. Release in itself does not mean that someone has been acquitted. Her name is given in abbreviated form here to protect her privacy.
The case attracted considerable attention in Belgium and the Netherlands because the child was found in the Netherlands, while the trial took place in Ghent. The ruling discloses no new facts about the course of events; it primarily determines the legal consequences of the earlier guilty verdict.
The sources do not report that De K. accepted the sentence or that he immediately announced an appeal. Nor has it been established exactly how the further execution of the sentence will proceed. The conviction and sentence are therefore kept separate from unproven statements about motive or personal circumstances.
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This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The sentence and Romy W.'s release are confirmed by public reporting. Details that have not been independently confirmed have been excluded from the article.
Editor's note
The sentence and Romy W.'s release have been reported by multiple public sources. Details about a possible appeal or the precise execution of the sentence are lacking.Sources
The story so far
- Monday, 19 October 2026, 10:41 Sentence to follow guilty verdict in Dean case
- Monday, 19 October 2026, 15:43 Thirty years in prison for Dave De K. in Dean case (this article)
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- NRC — „belgië gent”