A 39-year-old man from Poland has been sentenced to one year in prison for taking compatriots hostage in a 9-seater bus. He was sentenced to a year and a half in prison.
At the beginning of December, the man forced the driver to continue driving on the N33, N34 and A28. In doing so, he brandished a knife and threatened the passengers in the van. The Polish employees were all on their way to their home country.
The Pole threatened to hurt the passengers and driver with the knife. The driver was not allowed to slow down, leave the road or change lanes. The hostage-taker was under the influence of alcohol and drugs and behaved increasingly busier.
The ride took over an hour. At Beilen, the driver indicated that the tank was almost empty. He was allowed to fill up at a gas station. Together with the Pole, the driver walked to the gas station. The driver suddenly turned around, ran to the bus and drove off.
An employee saw the Pole walking with the knife in hand and called the police. The judge blames the man for causing increasing fear and insecurity due to the hostage-taking and his behavior on the bus. He has infringed on the right to personal liberty of others.
The drink and drugs clouded the man’s thinking. But he is entirely responsible for this, because he himself made that choice to take those resources, the judge said. He had virtually no criminal record and showed remorse at a hearing two weeks ago.
The judge took more into account the personal circumstances and that the man showed insight into his actions. As a result, the sentence was less than the requirement.