Criminal defence lawyer in Ghent

Have you been summoned for an interview by the police, customs or investigating judge? An interview can have major consequences for the further course of a criminal investigation.

A lawyer can inform you in advance about your position, your rights and how to prepare. Preferably contact us before the interview.

When you have been arrested or when pre-trial detention is being considered, prompt legal assistance is essential.

Counsel can assist you before the investigation chamber and, on appeal, before the indictment chamber.

A European arrest warrant (EAB) allows someone who is being prosecuted or has been convicted in another EU member state to be arrested and surrendered in Belgium.

Assistance is available from the moment of arrest: the lawyer can assess the lawfulness of the warrant, examine possible grounds for refusal, and assist you before the investigation chamber and, on appeal, the indictment chamber.

During a criminal investigation various investigative measures may be taken. Concrete options and consequences differ by case.

A criminal defence lawyer can analyse the file, assess your position and identify the legal arguments relevant to your defence.

Both the defendant and the victim may, during the ongoing investigation, request additional steps: access to the file (art. 61ter Sv.), lifting of a seizure (art. 61quater Sv.), or the performance of an additional investigative measure (art. 61quinquies Sv.).

Have you been summoned before the correctional court? Thorough preparation of the defence is important.

This may cover the facts, legal qualification, evidence, possible procedural arguments and the potential sentence.

After a conviction in absentia, specific remedies may be available. Deadlines for opposition can be short: contact us immediately.

Depending on the decision, an appeal may be possible. After an appellate decision, cassation may be considered under certain conditions.

Mr Nelson Vanlocke holds the Certificate in Criminal Cassation. A cassation appeal is not a new trial on the facts; it requires specific legal analysis.

A prison letter ('gevangenisbriefje') is a summons to report to prison: this is where actual sentence enforcement begins.

The lawyer can examine whether conversion to an alternative enforcement modality, such as SURB or SUR, is possible, and assist you with this.

Even after a criminal procedure has led to a decision, important questions may still arise.

Assistance is available in proceedings before the sentence enforcement court and the probation commission.

As a victim too, you can be assisted here: as your lawyer, I can request victim-oriented conditions regarding the convicted person on your behalf, for example in connection with a release or another sentence-enforcement modality.

Have you fallen victim to phishing and has money disappeared from your bank account? Even if you were misled by a fake website, a fraudulent link or a phone call from a scammer, this does not automatically mean that you must bear the financial loss yourself.

I can assist you on two legal fronts:

Criminal case against the money mule or card collector: the person who collected or used your bank card, PIN code or other data can be prosecuted under criminal law. These individuals are usually easier to identify than the criminal network behind the phishing operation. As your lawyer, I can assist you as a victim in the criminal proceedings and defend your interests and any claim for compensation.

Civil proceedings against the bank: in addition, it can be examined whether the bank is obliged to reimburse the fraudulently stolen amounts. This depends, among other things, on the circumstances of the phishing, the authentication of the payment, your own conduct, and the bank's obligations.

Belgian law contains specific rules on unauthorised payment transactions, including articles VII.43 and VII.44 of the Code of Economic Law, which implement articles 73 and 74 of the European PSD2 Directive.

The recent opinion of Advocate General Rantos of 5 March 2026 in case C-70/25, Tukowiecka is also particularly relevant for victims of phishing. The case concerns whether a bank may refuse immediate reimbursement of an unauthorised payment transaction on the ground that the customer may have been grossly negligent. The Advocate General takes the view that banks have no ground to refuse to reimburse funds to victims acting in good faith.

Have you lost money through phishing? Have it examined first who is legally liable for the damage before accepting a refusal from your bank.