The 31-year-old man who left a trail of destruction in his hometown of Den Bosch and Rosmalen at the beginning of October last year is not crazy. So he says himself. Suspect Mohamed W. also regrets what he did. The Syrian born in our country said this on Wednesday during an introductory hearing at the court in Den Bosch.
The ‘demolitionist’ covered dozens of kilometers while cycling during the night of October 5 to 6. All kinds of things were destroyed along the way. Cars, gas stations and ATMs suffered significant damage. It took hours before he could be stopped. After the arrest, the police said it was known that Mohamed W. was exhibiting confused behavior. And that he denied being responsible for the destruction. But at the court in Den Bosch, Mohamed said he had committed most of the destruction.
“I also want to pay for the damages, but please release me.”
“Apologies to all those affected. I also want to pay for the damages, but please release me,” he added. The judge denied the request. This means that the man will remain in custody until the substantive hearing on April 11.
W. didn’t exactly look like a wrecker this Wednesday. The Dutchman with Syrian roots had lost a lot of weight and was wearing a tracksuit that seemed several sizes too big. The fact that he looks so thin may be a result of his captivity. According to his lawyer, he isolates himself there and hardly eats there.
It was not clear on Wednesday why his client behaved this way on that October night. For this he must be examined by a psychologist. The man, who stayed in a shelter in Den Bosch until his arrest, refused to cooperate with an earlier diagnosis. He only wanted to talk to a social worker, who also assists his family.
“I’m not crazy, I lost myself.”
“I’m not crazy or psychotic. I lost myself and wondered how all this could happen.” According to his lawyer, it must have been an accumulation of frustration, disappointment and anger. A cry for help: “This was not vandalism.” Although Mohamed W. was born in our country, his family who fled from Syria have experienced the horrors of war. Mohamed has not been left behind either.
“In addition,” the suspect himself added, “I have often been scolded and made fun of by people. I’ve been stuck before too. All this left me traumatized. That’s why I want out of jail. Let me go. I want to sleep on the street if necessary.”
“You can’t make fun of me.”
The man seems to trust almost no one. As he left the courtroom, he asked the judges and the prosecutor not to laugh at him. He also said he was afraid that they wanted to ‘destroy him.’
Shortly after his arrest, the police had already received 85 reports of vandalism. W.’s lawyer wondered whether all these damages could be recovered from his client. Also, because not everything accused of him is substantiated by camera images and witness statements.
The damage caused was enormous: