Brabant Walloon, Belgium – A Facebook friend request spiraled into a violent altercation leaving one man blinded in one eye and both individuals acquitted of assault charges, a Belgian court ruled this week. The case, stemming from a 2017 incident, centered on accusations that Arnaud severely injured Michaël following a dispute believed too have originated with online interactions.
Michaël testified he sustained devastating injuries, stating, “Given my wounds, I am sure I was still struck while I was on the ground and unconscious. I had six or seven stitches at the back of the skull. I had hematomas at the level of the face. Currently I no longer see anything left, I will most likely have to wear an ocular prosthesis.the skin of my face was damaged,as if you had rolled up low.” He maintained Arnaud continued the assault even after he was incapacitated, resulting in a cerebral concussion and the loss of his eye. Michaël also reported broken teeth.
Tho, the Court of Appeal persistent arnaud acted in self-defense, delivering only two punches.The court suggested Michaël’s head injury – the six or seven stitches to the back of the skull – likely resulted from a fall, “On the back of the head, with a possible hit on the ground, for example against a border.”
Michaël himself faced prosecution for firing a shot at Arnaud during the confrontation, but was also acquitted, with the court finding he “defended himself in a proportionate way by limiting himself to a blow to Arnaud who had caught him and glued against the wall/wall.”
Despite losing an eye, Michaël will not recieve compensation from Arnaud, as the court declared itself incompetent to rule on damages following the acquittal. The eight-year legal battle concluded with both men cleared of wrongdoing, a dramatic outcome following a dispute initially sparked by a simple social media connection.
