It remains unclear why the victim did not simply work on the compressor. According to labor auditor Jeroen Lorré, it is highly unlikely that the intern would have opened the electrical box on his own. It was suggested that the young man might have been given that assignment after all. Separately, the labor auditor’s office found several omissions, such as the lack of a risk analysis for trainees. “That boy was simply not allowed to carry out those works alone,” he said.
The defense did not dispute the accidental killing, but did make some comments. For example, master Sara Torrekens emphasized that the trainee’s assignment had nothing to do with the electrical box in question. According to the defense, everything may have been based on a misunderstanding, as a result of which the victim may have misunderstood the assignment. It was also noted that the chocolate company has since developed an action plan to focus even more on safety. The defense proposed a suspension of sentence.