Belgian radio presenter Sven Pichal has been given a suspended three-year prison sentence for distributing child pornography. He will avoid prison if he refrains from legal infractions for the next five years and adheres to additional conditions.
The 45-year-old host of a consumer program on VRT radio was arrested in August last year after being reported for sharing child abuse material online. It was also discovered that he had conversations fantasizing about child abuse.
The prosecution had demanded a 37-month prison term. The case stirred controversy in Belgium, as Pichal was a well-known presenter who advocated for LGBT rights.
Following his arrest, Pichal resigned from VRT immediately. Shortly before the verdict, a man threw a liquid, reportedly urine, at Pichal as he entered the courtroom.
Source: NOS