Belgian father sentenced to 17 years for attempted murder of man accused of abusing his son

A Belgian court has sentenced a father to 17 years in prison after he was convicted of the attempted premeditated murder of a neighbor he believed had sexually abused his young step-son. The Namur court handed Grégory Lenoci the sentence on August 20 after finding him guilty of attempting to kill Marc P., who suffered severe injuries in an attack in July 2025.

The case drew attention because Lenoci believed Marc P. had sexually abused his six-year-old stepson. He had previously contacted police about the alleged abuse before confronting the man, reports Brussel Times.

According to reports, Marc P. had previously received a suspended sentence in 2020 for assaulting a five-year-old boy. Another complaint was filed against him in June 2025 by the father of a seven-year-old girl who alleged that the man had molested his daughter.

However, the allegation involving Lenoci's six-year-old step-son was later dropped. The case involving the seven-year-old girl remained unresolved, according to reports.

On July 24, 2025, Lenoci confronted Marc P. and attacked him, leaving him with catastrophic injuries. Prosecutors argued that the attack was premeditated and sought a lengthy prison sentence.

The court ultimately convicted Lenoci of attempted assassination with premeditation and sentenced him to 17 years behind bars.

Information about the case has circulated widely online, with social media users describing Lenoci as a father imprisoned for beating the man who raped his six-year-old son. However, reports from the Belgian case indicate that the alleged abuse of Lenoci's step-son was not established in court and the related allegation was dropped.

The case involving the other child remained separate from Lenoci's prosecution for the attack. Lenoci's sentence stems from the attempted killing of Marc P., rather than a conviction related to the allegations of sexual abuse.