The man who killed an entire family from Raamsdonksveer has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and will be given a TBS with compulsory treatment. The court in Breda decided this on Tuesday afternoon. In March, Thomas de G. from Zevenbergschen Hoek killed a 10-year-old girl, her 13-year-old brother and their father and mother (both 46) from Raamsdonksveer. That happened on the A59 highway near Sprang-Capelle.
The courtroom gallery was again filled with many relatives on Tuesday afternoon. The suspect hesitated a lot about coming, but he was there.
“He drove extremely dangerously, at enormous speed. He also made videos and had been drinking,” the judge said. That is why the court assumes manslaughter: he took the risk. “No one was able to say goodbye to the family, the bodies were too mutilated to show. That’s horrible.”
Two weeks ago, the Public Prosecution Service demanded seven years in prison and TBS with compulsory treatment. Experts found it ‘necessary’ for De G. to be given a TBS, because there is a chance that he will again get behind the wheel while drinking alcohol. According to the researchers, he also has borderline and is narcissistic.
Videos
Thomas de G. raced along the A59 at 250 kilometers per hour last March 10. He was driving home after visiting a friend. He had drunk way too much. While driving, he made videos of his speedometer with his phone, showing the high speed, because he was proud of what the car could do.
The victims, a family from Raamsdonksveer, had just gone out for dinner for the father’s birthday. The family wanted to overtake a truck on the way back when De G. approached at high speed. The suspect braked at the very last moment and then crashed into the back of the family’s Hyundai at exactly 203 kilometers per hour.
The family’s car ended up hitting the guardrail and catching fire. Thomas de G. and bystanders tried to open the doors of the car, but it was already too late. The village of Raamsdonksveer was in deep mourning after the death of the family.
YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT THE LAWSUIT HERE:
Live blog of the lawsuit against Thomas de G.
Omroep Brabant previously made this report: