A recent ruling by the Court of Cassation states that secret filming does not amount to an attack on the subject's honour. The ruling probably means that a basketball coach, who filmed underage girls in the shower, will not be convicted.

Photos and videos of young girls were discovered on two computers belonging to a basketball coach from Diepenbeek four years ago. The coach had filmed his subjects secretly through the keyhole. A court in Hasselt convicted the coach giving him a two months' suspended sentence. The coach appealed and the Antwerp appeal court is expected to rule in his favour after the coach's lawyer cited the ruling from the Court of Cassation.

This ruling states that secret filming of a naked individual without their permission or knowledge but without physical or moral force does not amount to the crime 'attack on a person's honour using violence or threat'.

VRT crime correspondent Philip Heymans: "Voyeurism doesn't feature in the criminal law. People are prosecuted for such acts, but usually get away with a reprimand. Some courts convict on charges of 'attack on a person's honour using violence or threat', but several times already the Court of Cassation has ruled that that's not correct. If you film people secretly, you are not forcing them to do something dishonourable."

