On January 27, 2022, the local police officer regulated school traffic along Collegelaan in Peer. That day it is like always joining us. A 17-year-old boy and his mother started honking their horn incessantly in a traffic jam. The officer went to listen, but the boy scolded him.
The identity check a little further on at the combi got out of hand. The mother kicked the officer, she was pushed and fell to the ground. Her son collapsed. The officer put him in a headlock. Who he didn’t notice was the younger brother, who was 12 years old at the time. The student attacked the officer’s back with a knife.
“A strange tingling went through my body and it felt cold. I felt the warm blood flowing down my back. Then I saw a boy of about twelve years old running away,” said the victim. His lung was punctured and he had to be immediately taken to the operating room upon arrival at the hospital.
Attempted manslaughter
On Tuesday, the youth court in Hasselt handed down the sentences against the now 14-year-old and his brother who is five years older. The younger of the two was found guilty of attempted manslaughter. “Due to the use of a folding knife, the intensity, the strength of the stabs and the fact that two stab wounds were inflicted,” said press judge Claudia Reynders.
“The minor accepted death as a possibility or consequence of his actions. The court ruled that there was no irresistible coercion that he would have felt to help his brother. The inspector placed a shoulder clamp in a lawful manner.” According to the juvenile judge, the 12-year-old saw everything happen from a distance and he could also have shouted or pushed to get the officer’s attention. “He also approached the inspector from behind and stabbed him twice in the back with fierce force.”
No exaggerated show of power
According to the juvenile court, there was no question of any exaggerated show of force by the inspector. The juvenile court ruled on Tuesday that the minors had no respect at all for an officer in office who was properly performing his job, namely guaranteeing the safety of the children in a busy school environment.
The 12-year-old must perform 120 hours of community service. He was also given a learning project ‘Victim in Focus’ and a second learning project, each lasting 20 hours. After the attack, the knifeman spent three months in a closed youth institution in Mol. The court ordered his brother to serve 40 hours of community service. He was guilty of unarmed rebellion.
During the trial a month ago, the defense had argued that there was shared responsibility. The officer is said to have partly provoked the facts by his way of acting. The juvenile judge did not follow that argument.
Compensation
The civil parties were awarded damages of 500 euros for the rebelliousness and 6,000 euros for the attempted manslaughter. The court also appointed a medical expert to further investigate the injuries sustained. The court will consider the amount of compensation at a later date. It is not known whether the young perpetrators will appeal.
