Share

Dutch Scout leader on trial for allegedly branding children

A youth leader in the Netherlands has gone on trial for branding three children with a hot iron during a Scouting initiation ceremony.

Prosecution spokesperson Elke Kool said on Thursday the 23-year-old suspect is accused of burning two letters into the backs of three children between the ages of 11 and 13 at a camp in Belgium last summer.

Kool says the initiation ceremony usually involved stamping the letters on children's backs in ink, but the youth leader allegedly used a heated iron for unknown reasons.

Prosecutors have demanded a seven-month prison sentence, with three months suspended. The verdict is expected in two weeks.

Scouting Nederland condemned the man's alleged actions and said "it is terrible what happened". The organisation says he will be expelled, if convicted.

KEEP UPDATED on the latest news by subscribing to our FREE newsletter.

- FOLLOW News24 on Twitter

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
67% - 911 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
33% - 441 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
18.82
+1.1%
Rand - Pound
23.45
+1.5%
Rand - Euro
20.11
+1.4%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.29
+0.9%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+2.0%
Platinum
922.40
-0.3%
Palladium
960.00
-3.1%
Gold
2,334.20
+0.1%
Silver
27.29
-0.5%
Brent Crude
89.01
+1.1%
Top 40
69,421
+1.4%
All Share
75,426
+1.5%
Resource 10
62,370
+0.4%
Industrial 25
104,144
+1.6%
Financial 15
16,150
+2.2%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE