The Public Prosecution Service demands 11 years of imprisonment and TBS with compulsory treatment against a 42-year-old man from Poortugaal who is suspected of manslaughter and robbery with violence against a 76-year-old woman in The Hague. On August 16, 2023, he robbed the woman behind the shopping center at De Savornin Lohmanplein in The Hague of her bag and hit her when he tried to flee with a car. The victim ended up in the hospital and died a few months later.
“I ran after the man. I shouted: “My bag, my bag!. Then I was hit by that man. I will never forget the mans face,” said the victim. On August 16, she filed a complaint with the police. This is the start of a criminal investigation. The suspect was arrested the same evening.
Camera Footage
It quickly became clear that the theft and the collision were recorded on a surveillance camera. The footage shows how the suspect approaches the victim and forcefully pulls her bag from her hands. He then runs away and jumps into the car, which he had stolen the night before. The elderly woman runs after the man and stands in front of the car, at which point the suspect accelerates and drives against her and over her.
Conditional Intent
According to the Public Prosecution Service, there is conditional intent because the suspect knowingly exposed himself to the significant risk that the victim would die.
“The suspect decided at that moment not to return the bag but to flee. Not to stop, but to accelerate,” said the public prosecutor. “Because he needed money. Because he did not want to be caught. He knew that he had just robbed a vulnerable elderly woman; the woman was even walking with a walker. Nevertheless, he accelerated, knowing that she was standing in front of his car.”
Bend in the Lifeline
One of the main questions in this criminal case is whether the womans death was the result of the collision. The victim suffered from a severe form of COPD and died as a result of a lung attack, but this happened five months after the collision. The public prosecutor assumes that it was the collision that became fatal for the victim.
The forensic doctor concludes that after the collision, a clear bend in the lifeline of the victim was observed. The risk of death increased due to the consequences of the collision, although it cannot be determined to what extent the collision contributed.
“What I find important to emphasize is that the suspect is indeed the one who consciously chooses to rob an old and elderly lady! And it is a well-known fact that the elderly are vulnerable. This poses a serious risk, and that risk is the responsibility of the suspect.”
Demand
According to experts, the suspect also has an autism spectrum disorder, a disorder in the use of cocaine, and severe antisocial behavior. To protect society and prevent recidivism, the Public Prosecution Service deems it necessary that the suspect receives treatment.
The Public Prosecution Service demands a prison sentence of 11 years and the unlimited measure of TBS with compulsory treatment.
The court will rule in two weeks.