The four boys who mistreated the then 73-year-old Martin van Wees from Sint Willebrord, received a community sentence of seventy hours on Tuesday from the judge. In addition, they must pay Martin a compensation of 661 euros. These are boys from Sprundel, Sint Willebrord and Roosendaal. During the abuse they were 14, 15 and 16 years old.
The mistreatment happened in May last year, when Van Wees walked his three dogs in the Processiepark in Sint Willebrord. He spoke to a group of young people because they felt an older woman.
Then he himself fell victim. “I had a fight with only that father and never expected the whole group to graze me,” Martin said to Omroep Brabant earlier.
The abuse was recorded on video, which then went around online. It shows how Martin is beaten and kicked. Among other things, he had bruises in his side and back, a blue eye, bumps and scratches.
“I feel reasonable, but I hit my head well and have a headache,” Martin told Omroep Brabant after the abuse. His victim statement shows that he still had complaints for a long time. For example, he was in a lot of pain and he could not take and undress or shower himself for weeks. His wife had to help him with that.
Filmed
Yet Martin was happy somewhere that the abuse was filmed: “The nuisance now has the attention and it is evidence for the police.”
In the park there had been nuisance for some time by young people on Fatbikes and Scooters. After the mistreatment, a prohibition of gathering was introduced. Three minors reported themselves to the police.
After the abuse, Martin told his story at Omroep Brabant:
Not yet a criminal record
The court found the boys now convicted guilty of open violence in groups. Three of the four had no criminal record yet. According to the judge, the punishment played in the punishment that the four all regretted and gave openness.
One of the boys said that he was threatened for a long time after the abuse because he was recognizable on the video. As a result, he hardly dared to go outside for two months.
Half of the work sentence (35 hours) that the court gave are conditional. That means that the boys who only have to carry out if they go wrong again within two years. If they do, they have to go to jail for 17 days.
