Urologist gets 4 years on charges of rape
The famous Flemish urologist Bo Coolsaet has been given 4 years in prison (including a suspended sentence of 2 years) when a court found him guilty on charges of rape and assault of a young patient.
The case was initiated by a now 28-year-old woman who was a patient with Bo Coolsaet in 2006, nursing problems with the bladder and the pelvic floor. The victim claimed she was raped by Coolsaet (80) with a sex toy (of which he said it was used for medical reasons), and that he touched her breasts and buttocks. The victim was only 15 to 16 at the time, and filed a complaint 9 years later, in 2015.
An Antwerp court has found Coolsaet guilty of on charges of rape and assault. "The facts are reprehensible, and are shocking for society as a whole", the judge said. She added that the young age of the victim and his own powerful position were aggravating circumstances.
Similar complaints were filed by other women after this case had made the headlines
Since the news of the court case made the headlines, various other women alerted the judicial authorities, saying they were victims of similar facts. However, the court didn't take into account their claims, because they took place too long ago, or because of a lack of evidence.
Bo Coolsaet wrote different books, and was often cited in the media as an expert on fertility. Despite his age, he still had his own private doctor's surgery. Bo Coolsaet said he will appeal against the decision. His lawyer argues that at first, the public prosecutor suggested to drop the case because it was possible that the girl had misinterpreted the facts.