Glenn and father Patrice Meesseman. — © JVDP
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The Antwerp assize jury sentenced Inge Manderick, Glenn and Patrice Meesseman to sentences of 28 years (mother) and 25 years in prison (father and son) for the murder of Sara Laeremans in October 2017. Inge Manderick was not present herself because she was in the hospitalized after complications following surgery two weeks ago.
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Maaike Floor
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Assize Antwerp
Accused: Glenn (29) and Patrice (54) Meesseman, Inge Manderick (49)
Accusation: murder
Victim: Sara Laeremans (21)
Place: Brigandshof, Geel
Date: night of 21 to 22 October 2017
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After six eventful days – and a one-week break due to an operation for Inge Manderick – the trial for the murder of Sara Laeremans came to an end on Thursday evening. “Inge Manderick bears a crushing responsibility. She had an unhealthy obsession with her granddaughter and was the mastermind and motor behind the plan to kill Sara,” the jury said in the sentence. Account was taken of Inge Manderick’s beginnings of guilt and her clean criminal record. Inge Manderick received the heaviest sentence with 28 years in prison, son Glenn and his father Patrice both received 25 years in prison. Thirty years (for the mother) and 28 years (for father and son) had been advanced respectively.
–© Jan Van der Perre
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For Glenn, his favorable criminal past and his turbulent childhood were taken into account. “Glenn Meesseman, you strangled your ex-partner and the mother of your two children with your own hands in one of the most confrontational ways,” said chairman Dirk Thys. “You have hung your two children a very heavy backpack on their fragile shoulders. Be aware of that for the rest of your life. If the relationship with your children can ever be restored, be glad that you have the opportunity. But also respect the feelings of your children if they are not ready or if one or both children may never be ready.”
The chairman said to Patrice Meesseman that his responsibility is not small and that he will still have to work on himself. “You have both been punished with perspective. When you can return to society again is partly up to you. You have closed the doors for Sara for good. She didn’t get a right to a fair trial from you, which you did get.”
custody
Earlier in the day, the assize jury had already found Glenn Meesseman and his parents guilty of the murder of Sara Laeremans. The motive for the murder was that they could not accept that the judge had assigned custody of the children to Sara after the split between Sara and Glenn. Glenn Meesseman, through his lawyer, had requested the acquittal on the basis of Article 71, because he would not have been able to resist the power of his mother, but the jury did not agree. “It is unlikely that his free will was completely disabled. He could have made different choices despite his mother’s dominance,” the jury said.
–The victim Sara Laeremans. — © fedpol
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Patrice insisted to the end that the moment he got on the train with his son, he didn’t know that Sara was going to die. He also denied that he had put a mop on her mouth and nose to smother her, he would have only cleaned her mouth and nose. “That is completely unbelievable and contradicts what he himself stated to Inge Manderick and daughter Kelly,” the jury motivated.
Smoring
The late time he boarded the train with his son, the fact that they wore dark clothes and left their cell phones at home, indicate that he was aware of the plan to harm Sara. “Patrice contributed to the realization of the plan and to the throttling. He was a crucial support for his son. Without his assistance, the offenses would not have been committed and even without the smothering he provided crucial assistance.”
Glenn and Patrice Meesseman are also guilty of computer fraud because they withdrew 300 euros with Sara’s bank card after her death at a bank in Herentals.
In his last word, Glenn had said that the facts wouldn’t have happened if his mother hadn’t been so present in recent years. But he also said he wanted to take responsibility. “Whatever the jury decides, I will accept it.”
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