OM demands 10 months in prison for shovel incident with press photographer Lunteren

‘As if they had ended up in a horror movie’

The public prosecutor spoke in her requisition about a very serious matter. ‘The suspect didn’t want to stop, he just kept going. It must have seemed to the victims as if they had ended up in a horror movie.’

Report car fire

The press photographer came to a car fire in Lunteren that Monday evening. When he tried to make recordings, he – along with others – was seriously threatened by the suspect, among others. The photographer then withdrew to his car, which also contained his girlfriend.

‘Car with shovel on its head tipped into ditch’

The suspect then fetched a shovel and placed it in front of the photographer’s car, after which he lifted the car with the shovel. The vehicle was then beaten with sticks by the suspect and others, such that one of the car windows cracked. The suspect then tipped the car into a ditch with the shovel upside down. “That must have been extremely frightening for the passengers,” said the public prosecutor.

raged

The officer said it is “it is best to imagine that the suspect was not served by the public when he was putting out a car fire, but that it is under no circumstances understandable that he has taken matters into his own hands, that he is a The beast has raged, and only stopped when those he targeted were upside down, trapped in a car in a ditch. The suspect left without flinching, leaving the occupants screaming for help.” Firefighters had to free the two from the car.

‘Wave of indignation through the country’

This enormously aggressive form of vigilance has sent a wave of indignation through the country, the officer outlined. “Many have tried to imagine how terrifying it must have been to end up upside down in a ditch like this, not knowing how it will end, not knowing if you will make it out alive. The Public Prosecution Service takes the case seriously.’

nuance

It seemed that freedom of the press – a great asset – was at stake here, but the officer wanted to nuance that during the hearing. The suspect himself stated that he did not know that he was dealing with people from the press, she said. They were not recognizable as such, did not present themselves as such, did not use professional equipment – ​​dashcam images show that they were photographed with telephones. “But this conclusion does not detract from the seriousness of the facts,” said the officer.

Danger to life

The Public Prosecution Service considers several criminal offenses to be legal and convincing to prove. For example, the Public Prosecution Service finds that the man is guilty of destroying the car of the victims, which was a threat to life – the events could have ended fatally – an attempt to inflict serious physical injury, public violence and threats (committed in association). . However, the Public Prosecution Service is of the opinion that the man should be acquitted of the attempted murder.

‘Give a clear signal’

The suspect has been in custody for more than three months. Despite the fact that he immediately expressed remorse and provided openness, the public prosecutor believes that a longer prison sentence than the three months that the suspect has already been detained is appropriate and required in this case. “A clear signal must be sent that this serious form of vigilantism is not accepted,” said the officer at the hearing.

Compensated for damage by suspect

She demanded a prison sentence of fifteen months, of which five months on probation with a probation period of two years – concretely, this means that as far as the Public Prosecution is concerned, he would have to go to jail for another seven months. The suspect has already compensated the victims for the damage some time ago.

Two other men

The two other men arrested in this case will appear in court at a later date. They are charged with public violence and threats (committed in association).