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Cyclist who knocked over five-year-old girl questioned by police
Prosecutors on Sunday asked for help in identifying a cyclist who pushed over a five-year-old girl on an icy path in the Hautes-Fagnes on Christmas Day.
The girl was walking with her family when the cyclist approached from behind and tried to overtake. He appears to push the girl out of the way with his knee, causing her to fall to the ground.
By chance, the incident was filmed on a mobile phone. It happened at about 15.00 on 25 December near Baraque Michel in Jalhay, Liège province.
After the Liège-Verviers prosecutor's office appealed for anyone with information to get in contact, it is reported that the cyclist turned himself in to police.
The 61-year-old man spent Sunday night in police custody and was questioned. He is likely to appear in court in February on charges of assault and battery of a minor.
According to Het Nieuwsblad, the cyclist told police he had not knocked over the girl on purpose. He has reportedly phoned the girl's parents to give his version of events.
Comments
Really? Now, don't get me wrong: the guy is a jerk for not stopping to inquire about the child's well-being and to apologize. However, we all know that the prosecutor would not have lifted an eyebrow without the video. Today, if something isn't filmed, it doesn't exist. If it is, it's a huge deal.
The prosecutor probably won’t be able to do much. Name and shame on social media will be far more embarrassing for this idiot. Sad sign of our times but he deserves it.
Hopefully they will catch this person, too many cyclists act as if they are above the law.
Oops. Now it appears that he might have stopped right after that video stopped. I shouldn't have been so quick to judge.
In the Foret de Soignes on the outskirts of Brussels, there are paths clearly marked 'no bicycles'. But there is no hope of walking down them in complete safety since too many cyclists think the entire forest is there just for them. They don't use bells and they don't know how to go slower than top speed. They are a real menace.