Marco Borsato seeks €431,000 in costs after acquittal

Marco Borsato is seeking more than €431,000 from the Dutch state for costs incurred defending himself in a criminal case, including about €389,000 in legal fees. The court heard the reimbursement request in Utrecht on Wednesday and is due to rule on 27 November.

Borsato was acquitted last December of indecent assault of a minor. Dutch law allows people acquitted in criminal cases to apply to the court for reimbursement of certain costs, including legal fees and expenses for experts hired by the defence.

At the hearing, the prosecution said it could accept most of the claim for the work carried out by Borsato’s lawyers, Geert-Jan and Carry Knoops. It objected to some costs, including work it said the lawyers had done before the complaint was made, and questioned whether some expert reports were necessary. The prosecution said the cost of an examination of the complainant’s handwriting could be reimbursed.

The defence argued that the costs should be considered together because they were connected. Borsato told the court the expenses were necessary for a proper defence and said he would accept the court’s decision, according to same-day reporting by NL Vandaag, which credited news agency BuzzE.