The 30-year-old man who attacked a courier in Rotterdam’s Hoogvliet in February faces eight years in prison. According to the court, Yassin El B. was very violent towards the courier, who died of his injuries a few days after the fight.
The conflict arose when the suspect saw the courier driving away in his bus on the street in his neighborhood of Meeuwenplaat. A modem would be handed to him and he would go out to pick up that package.
But according to the delivery man, this did not comply with the rules of his employer PostNL. That’s why he refused to deliver the package on the street. The dispute then resulted in a fatal outcome for the bellboy.
Several eyewitnesses say the suspect used more force. The courier only tried to defend himself and escape.
After a strong kick from El B., the victim hit his head on the road, resulting in a fractured skull and falling into a coma. More than a week later, the Rotterdam deliveryman died of his injuries in hospital.
The accused claims that he had to defend himself
El B. has always said that he had to defend himself during the quarrel, because the delivery man reacted very aggressively. During the hearing three weeks ago, El B. said he felt threatened.
According to the court, El B. tried several times for confrontation, while he could have left if the delivery man himself had been aggressive. He didn’t. Instead, he deliberately wanted to disable the courier, the court ruled.
The Public Prosecutor (OM) had asked for six years in prison. But the court finds that El B. caused so much suffering in the victim’s family that a higher sentence is needed. The bellboy is survived by his wife and two small children.
