advertentieThe public prosecutor demanded on Thursday, July 31, 36 months imprisonment against a 50-year-old man from Halfweg for severely assaulting his girlfriend.
In total, he is accused of three criminal offenses: that he inflicted serious second- and third-degree burns on the woman on April 18, 2016, and that he has repeatedly assaulted her during their ten-year relationship, causing her to suffer broken ribs.
Finally, he is accused of hitting her and choking her on November 18, 2021. For the victim, that last incident was the last straw, and she decided to file a complaint against the man. The public prosecutor stated in court that these are old offenses. Does that mean that the Public Prosecution Service should not bring these cases to court anymore? Not in my opinion. If you finally dare to take the step towards the police and file a complaint after years, then the case should also be presented to the court. Currently, the victim is in hiding and no one is allowed to know where she is staying, out of fear of the man. She was therefore also not present at the hearing.
Burns
What is certain is that the woman had burns and went to the hospital for this. She has stated to both the police and the examining magistrate that the suspect inflicted the burns on her. In the hospital, she indicated that the injuries were caused by violence. The suspect has given an alternative explanation for the injuries. The public prosecutor stated in court that he is relying on the statement made to the police, given the nature of the injuries. The observed injuries do not match the alternative explanation.
Domestic violence
The public prosecutor also considers multiple incidents of domestic violence proven. Colleagues of the woman can confirm that her hair was cut during the period mentioned by the victim. This happened against the victims will and is therefore an infringement on her physical integrity and thus assault.
The woman also suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung at one point. The suspect himself admits that he hit her hard. According to him, this was only after the woman did something to him. He also claims that in another incident, he was acting in self-defense, pushing the woman away to stop a fight.
Colleagues also confirm that the woman regularly had bruises on her body, as evidenced by provided patient data.
The public prosecutor also considers the last assault on November 21, 2021, proven. The woman states that the man pushed against her throat and strangled her with both hands. According to the suspect, he only pushed her, which at least proves the assault.
The public prosecutor highlighted the seriousness of the offenses and the severe consequences for the victim: she had to leave her life behind and lives in constant fear of being found. She is even afraid to give her phone number to her lawyer or the public prosecutor.
Due to the actions of the suspect, the woman has suffered serious injuries. The suspect himself takes no responsibility. The fact that there is domestic violence is taken into account as an aggravating factor, as is the fact that it concerns a longer period. The public prosecutor ultimately demanded 36 months imprisonment and requested the court to grant the compensation of €20,354.70 that the woman has claimed. She also requested the suspect to be prohibited from contacting the victim for a period of five years.