Guilty plea aims to avoid lengthy trials and clear backlog

A new law now allows defendants charged with a crime to submit a guilty plea in Belgian courts, potentially avoiding lengthy trails while helping clear a backlog of cases.

Guilty pleas are the norm in many justice systems around the world, including the US, but are now being used for the first time in some Belgian cases.

“This is a major first,” said Amaury Verhoustraeten, spokesperson for the Brussels public prosecutor's office.

The first time the concept was used in Brussels was last week in a case involving two members of a criminal organisation active in money laundering who have now pleaded guilty even though the investigation has not yet been completed.

By pleading guilty, the two suspects currently detained in Haren prison can avoid a costly trial and see their jail sentences seriously reduced.

This procedure is also beneficial for the justice system, Verhoustraeten said, noting that "it saves time and allows resources to be devoted to other cases".

He added: "The suspect's confession and statements also open up new avenues and provide a better understanding of certain criminal phenomena."

Criminal lawyer Pierre Chomé said the possibility of pleading guilty also gives meaning to the sentence handed down by the courts, given that usual procedure means the suspect often has to wait many years before appearing in court.

“In terms of the effectiveness of the sentence, this makes no sense,” Chomé said.

“Either the person has moved on, because they've got older or they've settled down, or the person feels a form of impunity because they are not convicted within a reasonable period of time, in which case there is a risk that they will reoffend.”