Jolan F. after his sentence to five years effective before the Antwerp Court of Appeal. — © mkm
Jolan F. (26), the ex-sports director of KSV Roeselare, was sentenced on appeal on Thursday to five years effective and ten years to the sentencing court. He promised young footballers a bright future in exchange for sexual acts. “The facts are very serious,” the court said.
Accompanied by his mother, Jolan F. (26) entered the Antwerp Court of Appeal on Thursday afternoon. The twenty-something, who was still sporting director at the now bankrupt KSV Roeselare in 2020, has sexually approached sixteen young football players over a period of four years.
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His modus operandi: promising them a professional contract in exchange for sexual acts. Jolan F. was sentenced in first instance last year to six years in prison and five years to the sentencing court. But Jolan F. appealed. According to his lawyer Isabel De Fre, her client has been in therapy since then. In the meantime, he also served his pre-trial detention under electronic supervision, so that Jolan F. hoped for a suspended sentence on appeal. But the court did not agree. “Defendant won several young people’s friendship by giving them gifts in return. For example, he promised a mobile phone, Playstation in exchange for groping or a kiss,” it says in the judgment. “He also took young people abroad without clubs being aware of it.”
According to the court, these are “very serious facts” and his “proposed regret and sense of guilt” is more motivated by his own interest. Jolan F. was therefore sentenced to five years in effect – only one year less – and ten years of control before the sentencing court.
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Jolan F. will soon have to present himself in prison, where he will have to serve at least another two years. His lawyer is disappointed. “We are disappointed that an effective punishment will follow my client’s efforts in his extensive psychological counseling.”
In June 2020, the first complaint against Jolan F. followed. After reading his mobile phone and laptop, even more victims came into the picture, because he preferred to approach them via social media. In addition to professional contracts, he also offered boys a Playstation, cell phone or money in exchange for a kiss or touch.
Earlier this year, the criminal court of Antwerp sentenced Jolan F. to six years in prison and five years to the sentencing court for assault, obtaining fornication of a minor by handing over a benefit, grooming, cyber-luring and sexual harassment. In the criminal file there were seventeen victims between the ages of 13 and 18. He was then acquitted for sexually assaulting one victim, the court found the other facts proven.
Jolan F. no longer contested the facts, but hoped on appeal for a sentence with a postponement of probation. However, the court has now largely upheld his previous conviction. “The court has examined everything very thoroughly and has determined that the facts are very serious. Hence the prison sentence of five years,” the court stated during the verdict.
