At the beginning of 2022, a 22-year-old man from the municipality of Midden-Drenthe could not accept the fact that his on-again, off-again relationship with a woman from Beilen who was three years his junior was now really over. For stalking his ex-girlfriend, assault, prohibited possession of weapons and threatening, he was sentenced to 180 hours of community service, with a suspended prison sentence of three months.
The man was arrested in March 2022. His ex-girlfriend had filed a complaint against him. She lived in fear of death for the last two months. She received countless messages from the man, which became increasingly rude and threatening. Her family, including her younger sister, also received similar messages.
At a party at the riding school, one of the woman’s friends was hit in the head. The suspect thought he might be the new friend. When the alleged new friend also said: “Be normal man, let her go”, something snapped in the suspect. He lashed out.
When the suspect cuts his ex-girlfriend off the road with his car on the cycle path on March 5 of last year, gets out and puts a pellet gun to his head, it is enough for the woman. “If you want peace, you get it, here and now,” said the man with the gun to his head. The woman took this as a serious threat and fearfully went to the police.
After his arrest, the man was given a contact and location ban and had to wear an ankle monitor. That period has now ended. During the hearing it turned out that he had complied with this and the family had finally found peace. The way he tried to contact her had a major impact on the victim and her family, the prosecutor said.
The suspect then said that he no longer had any intention of visiting his ex-girlfriend. To be sure of this, the prosecutor demanded a new contact and location ban for three years. The court will make its ruling on October 12.