“A case that affects everyone. Daughters, sisters, friends should be able to cycle home alone and hear safely at home. That should be a given, but this case proves once again that this is not the case. A realization that brings feelings of fear, powerlessness, and anger. In society as a whole, but certainly for the victim who ended up in a nightmare that night of August 9, 2024.”
With these words, the public prosecutor begins her plea in the case where a 50-year-old suspect from Groningen is charged with attempted rape.
When the victim cycles home at four oclock in the morning from the city center of Groningen, she notices that someone is cycling behind her and then next to her. She starts to cycle faster, but the man keeps cycling next to her and suddenly she is pulled off her bike by the man. They fall against the parked cars and then she is dragged along. The man grabs her by the neck and pulls her between the buildings to a dark place.
By uttering death threats and using violence, the suspect tries to overpower the victim with the aim of raping her.
It is thanks to the intervention of two witnesses that this ultimately did not succeed. The suspect manages to escape. The police, who arrive on the scene immediately, take a description of the suspect. Multiple witnesses are interviewed and the issued wanted notice is published in the media. It also includes an image of a bicycle with a distinctive bicycle key that may belong to the suspect. Following reports from witnesses who think they recognize the person, the fact that the suspect himself has reported as the owner of the bicycle, and the DNA of the suspect found on the victim, the suspect is arrested.
According to the Public Prosecution Service, the suspect is guilty of attempted qualified rape. “The actions and statements of the suspect were clearly aimed at the intended decision to sexually penetrate the victim. […] The actions are also clearly against the will of the victim. She cries, resists, and says that she does not want this. This is also heard and seen by a witness. Finally, there is violence and threat, as the complainant is pulled off the bike, she is dragged by the neck by the suspect, there are threats to kill her and break her neck, and her throat is also choked.”
The suspect has limited cooperated with the investigation by the psychiatrist and refused to cooperate with the investigation by the psychologist. This has led to so-called refusal reports. The imposition of a TBS measure is therefore not excluded. According to the Public Prosecution Service, given his background and criminal record, it is not an option to let the suspect return to society untreated. “The risk of recidivism is enormous now that the suspect recidivates despite previous and very intensive treatment and does not give any openness about the act he committed, his sex life, and his sexual preferences.” The Public Prosecution Service believes that this meets the danger criterion for imposing TBS.
In determining the sentence demand, the prosecutor takes multiple aspects into account. Partly due to the way this act took place against a completely random victim justifies an unconditional prison sentence. “The suspect has made a significant violation of the physical integrity of the victim. I hold that against him,” said the prosecutor.
The Public Prosecution Service demands a prison sentence of four years plus the imposition of the TBS measure with compulsory treatment.