The story has been going on since 2006. A deaf man would seduce young college girls to take off their shoes and then touch their bare feet, smell them and hold them to his face. After 17 reports, the police are taking the case seriously and have distributed a composite drawing of the so-called "footman" for the first time. “The student area should no longer be awake about the man,” says Michaël Barbé of the Ghent police.
It is July 31, 2020. At Prudens Van Duyseplein in the heart of Ghent, a student is on her way to her student room. Suddenly she finds herself being followed by a man. She has eye contact with him, but walks on. When she comes home, the man is suddenly in her hall. The man is deaf and cannot speak. That is why he expresses himself with gestures. He asks the student to sit on the stairs and with drawings he makes it clear that she must take off her shoe. When she bares her foot, he takes it in his hand and smells it. With his other hand he counts to five, then releases the foot and starts running. The student is left stunned.
The story from the end of July is the last known story by the Ghent police, but the so-called "footman" has been bothering women for much longer. He has been active in the Ghent student area since 2006. He always succeeds in having the students bare their feet. He smells them, presses them to his face and then disappears in the northern sun.
After all these years, it is still not known who it is. Over the years, seventeen women have filed a complaint. Their descriptions show that the man must be over 40 years old, of strong build and dark hair. Although he would shave now and then. According to the victims, the man has a white skin color. Some describe him as Eastern European, but that is not confirmed by everyone.
Nor is it clear whether the "footman" is really deaf. “It could just as well be an excuse”, explains Michaël Barbé of the Ghent police. “It can be a way to get in touch. He always asks for a pen and paper and is allowed into the victims' homes. "
To reinforce its message, the police are now distributing a composite drawing of the perpetrator. They hope that as many people as possible see the image. “We don't know whether the man is from Ghent”, Barbé continues. “He can also come to Ghent by public transport or car to strike. We hope that someone recognizes him or that he reports himself. This man may need help. We can help him with that. He's not aggressive, but we want the facts to stop. The student neighborhood should no longer be awake about the footman.”
It is July 31, 2020. At Prudens Van Duyseplein in the heart of Ghent, a student is on her way to her student room. Suddenly she finds herself being followed by a man. She has eye contact with him, but walks on. When she comes home, the man is suddenly in her hall. The man is deaf and cannot speak. That is why he expresses himself with gestures. He asks the student to sit on the stairs and with drawings he makes it clear that she must take off her shoe. When she bares her foot, he takes it in his hand and smells it. With his other hand he counts to five, then releases the foot and starts running. The student is left stunned.
The story from the end of July is the last known story by the Ghent police, but the so-called "footman" has been bothering women for much longer. He has been active in the Ghent student area since 2006. He always succeeds in having the students bare their feet. He smells them, presses them to his face and then disappears in the northern sun.
After all these years, it is still not known who it is. Over the years, seventeen women have filed a complaint. Their descriptions show that the man must be over 40 years old, of strong build and dark hair. Although he would shave now and then. According to the victims, the man has a white skin color. Some describe him as Eastern European, but that is not confirmed by everyone.
Nor is it clear whether the "footman" is really deaf. “It could just as well be an excuse”, explains Michaël Barbé of the Ghent police. “It can be a way to get in touch. He always asks for a pen and paper and is allowed into the victims' homes. "
To reinforce its message, the police are now distributing a composite drawing of the perpetrator. They hope that as many people as possible see the image. “We don't know whether the man is from Ghent”, Barbé continues. “He can also come to Ghent by public transport or car to strike. We hope that someone recognizes him or that he reports himself. This man may need help. We can help him with that. He's not aggressive, but we want the facts to stop. The student neighborhood should no longer be awake about the footman.”
