Three boys from Hoorn who blinded a fisherman in one eye with a broken paddle while canoeing last summer have been sentenced to prison and community service. The boy who filmed the incident has been acquitted. As a result of the injuries suffered, the victim can never perform his work as a train driver again.
Main suspect DB (20) from Hoorn, who initiated a short but intense explosion of violence in the De Hulk recreational area in Hoorn on June 18, 2022, had already been sentenced to two years in prison. The other suspects were sentenced today.
The reason was an altercation the five had with two fishermen at the water’s edge. They are said to have sailed their rented canoes too close to the fishing rods and fishing lines, after which they started swearing and shouting.
One of the fishermen then allegedly followed the boys with a sharp object in his hand, VH (19) from Hoorn previously told the judge. “We decided to go back, to seek redress and to talk it out. As men among ourselves, not with the intention of beating them up.”
Soon things started to explode. The victim was reportedly hit in the face with a paddle shortly afterwards. “Look at that eye! Good for you!”, it was said. The victim was blinded in one eye as a result of the abuse and will never be able to work as a train driver again.
Self defense
But the suspects had a completely different reading in court. According to them, they actually appeared aggressive and acted in self-defense. “I felt surrounded,” said 19-year-old YK from Blokker.
The Alkmaar court did not agree with this today. VH (19) from Hoorn received the highest punishment. In addition to 150 hours of community service, he will also receive a prison sentence of 45 days because he was arrested in January this year with 20 grams of cocaine in his pocket. The 19-year-olds YK from Blokker and JW from Hoorn were sentenced to 120 and 140 hours of community service.
The three suspects must also pay compensation of more than 31,000 euros to the victim. 22-year-old RL from Hoorn, who filmed the incident with his mobile phone, was acquitted by the court. “He did not contribute to the violence,” the judge said.