Collision and kick in the face against 14-year-old: one year in prison after ‘gingernut quarrel’

26-year-old Jorin D. has been sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment, three of which are conditional. The Hoorn resident has been found guilty of attempted serious assault on a 14-year-old boy who threw a gingerbread nut against his car last year. The Public Prosecution Service demanded 40 months in prison.

How a single gingerbread turns several lives upside down. On November 20 last year, his car was hit by a gingerbread nut while the 26-year-old Hoornaar was in the car with his girlfriend and three children. Angry, he chases two teenagers on foot. He doesn’t catch them, but when he sees them later, he runs over one of them. Then he kicks the boy in the face.

Witnesses saw the teenager flying through the air, but D. always denied hitting him. He did acknowledge that he had handed out the kick. “I was angry and panicked. But my behavior cannot be justified in any way. I deeply regret that,” the perpetrator stated earlier during the substantive hearing.

Attempted manslaughter

Two weeks ago, the Public Prosecution Service spoke of attempted manslaughter and demanded 40 months in prison. The judge did not want to go that far. The court did find that various witnesses and images of a doorbell could demonstrate that there was indeed a collision.

The judge: “The fact that the car has no damage and that the victim’s injuries were not serious does not mean that there could not have been a collision. In addition, you did not care at all about the victim, a young boy of 14 years old. That We really blame you.” The fact that D. has a clean criminal record and cooperated well with the probation service spoke to his advantage.

Big impact

The incident in Hoorn had a major impact on the young victim. For example, at the previous hearing he indicated that he had been anxious for a long time. “I didn’t dare to go to certain places and I didn’t dare to sit in a car anymore. Fortunately, things are better now. I like that he apologizes.”

D. had already been in custody for a total of six months. After deduction of the pre-trial detention and the three-month suspended prison sentence, with a probation period of two years, there now remains approximately three months’ prison sentence. In addition, he must undergo treatment and pay the victim compensation of almost 2,665 euros, mainly for non-material damage.

ttn-55