Father who posted footage of cyclist kneeing his five-year-old girl to the floor for blocking his path wins legal battle after bike rider successfully took HIM to court

Daily Mail UK ^ | March 5, 2026 | Nick Pisa

[Morgana]

A father who was ordered to pay compensation to a cyclist for filming him as he knocked over his young daughter has finally won his legal battle.

The footage was filmed and posted to social media by five-year-old Neia's dad, Patrick Mpasa, during their family walk in a nature reserve in Baraque Michel, Belgium, on Christmas Day, 2020.

The cyclist, who was only identified as Jacques D, was originally taken to court in Verviers for kneeing the little girl, only to be given a suspended sentence because he had been criticised enough on social media.

Jacques then sued Mr Mpasa for defamation, because the backlash the video received resulted in him feeling so threatened by the public that he was scared to leave his own house.

In April 2023, the child's father was ordered to pay the cyclist 4,500 euros in compensation.

But now, after a lengthy appeal, a court in Liege has ruled out the original decision in favour of Jacques D, who is president of a local cycling club.

Lawyer Jacques Englebert, who represented Mr Mpasa, told the Daily Mail: 'In essence, the court said that posting the video was a freedom of expression and it was not a crime, so the original ruling was overturned.

'The court said that by uploading the clip, the father had contributed to the public debate on cyclists and pedestrians, and it was not an issue.'

Mr Englebert added: 'The cyclist had argued that by uploading the video, he had been identified, and the initial reports said he was between forty and fifty years old when he was in fact well over sixty years old.

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TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: bicycles; clumsykid; ukextremism

[Morgana]

He'd done that to my five year old and I think I'd make him eat that bicycle.

[A strike]

Incomprehensible insanity !

[b4me]

All about him. No concern he did it and knocked the young girl down. He should have to pay the girl for his bullish and callousness.

[yldstrk]

I resent those bicyclists.

[Fireone]

Yup! Patience is a virtue, in situations like this. The wheels of justice turn slowly.
In time, justice would be meted out.

[Candor7]

This is what happens when you do not take care of bidness on the spot.

Dear Jacques needed a trimming right there and a totally destroyed bicycle with massively bent wheels.

Euroweenies.

[ClearCase_guy]

There is a fine line between Psychopaths and Cycle Paths.

[alexander_busek]

The cyclist, who was only identified as Jacques D, was originally taken to court in Verviers for kneeing the little girl, only to be given a suspended sentence because he had been criticised enough on social media.

So if I murder someone, and post a video of the murder on social media, and suffer a lot of "backlash," my sentence will be reduced?!

Regards,

[Hot Tabasco]

Was that a walking path, a bicycle path or both?

[nonliberal]

I’m hoping you would have enough sense to get your kid out of the way of the cyclist.

[Tom Tetroxide]

“... in favour of Jacques D, who is president of a local cycling club.”

Must be a member of Critical (M)ass: Euro-peon Chapter.