If it is up to the Public Prosecution Service, a 28-year-old suspect from Arnhem will disappear behind bars for 5 years. He allegedly attacked a woman out of nowhere on July 10, 2024. This occurred in Uiterwaardenpark Meinerswijk in Arnhem-Zuid. The suspect appeared before the judge today. The Public Prosecution Service is prosecuting him for attempted manslaughter and unlawful deprivation of liberty, demanding 5 years of unconditional imprisonment. The prosecutor stated: “The woman who was attacked has gone through a horrific nightmare. A nightmare from which she could not just wake up. Never again. Fortunately, she escaped from the suspect.”
The woman was attacked in broad daylight by the suspect and dragged into the bushes. He attempted to strangle her with a rope and later with his hands. By hitting him with a stick, she ultimately managed to escape. The prosecutor referred in his plea to ‘We demand the night back’, an initiative that raises awareness about violence against women and the right of women to be safe at all times and everywhere. “The story of the victim in this case is terribly frightening and unfortunately serves as a striking example of a moment when a woman was not safe.”
The suspect denied in his interrogation that he attacked the woman. He stated that it was she who attacked him with a stick. His statement contradicts the womans account. There were no witnesses to the incident itself. Nevertheless, the Public Prosecution Service firmly believes that the complainant was telling the truth. For instance, a drag mark leading to the bushes was found at the scene that matches the womans account. The injuries to her neck also support her story, as does the location where DNA from the suspect was found. A passerby who encountered the victim shortly after the incident stated that the woman was in panic and said she had been strangled by a man. The prosecutor stated: “When I line up all the evidence, there is no support for the suspects statement. There was no reason or excuse for the suspects behavior. This was not only a particularly frightening experience for the victim, but also causes a lot of fear in society.”
The prosecutor criticizes the suspect for not providing any insight into his personal circumstances and not taking responsibility for his actions. “I see no other option but to punish him severely, harshly punish him. Also to protect society from the free roaming of this suspect, I demand this severe prison sentence. In a figurative sense, I also demand the park back, in line with the right of women to be safe at all times and everywhere.”
