Twenty year sentences in murder of 12-year-old Danny Gubbels

Three men were sentenced on appeal to 20 years in prison each for the murder of 12 year old Danny Gubbels in Breda in 2010. The sentences are equal to what the Public Prosecutor demanded.

On July 14th, 2010 the three opened fire on the caravan park where the boy lived with his parents. Danny was killed. His mother was injured, but survived. The court convicted all three men, a 36 year old Dutchman and two Brits aged 29 and 34 years old, of murder. According to the judge, all three are responsible for the actions of the group, no matter who fired the lethal shots.

The Zeeland-West-Brabant court previously sentenced the Dutchman, Marcellino F., and the 29 year old Brit Tyrone G. to 16 years in prison, ruling that premeditation could not be proven. The other Brit was acquitted.

On appeal the court came to a different conclusion. According to the court, the group drove to Rijnauwenstraat in a minibus with at least eight guns. The police later also found ski masks, ear plugs, pepper spray, two jerry cans of petrol and bulletproof vests in the bus. They also used four mobile phones that came on the air for the first time on the day the crime was committed, and was never used again. And a getaway car was parked and ready a short distance away. The court finds that the amount of preparation the suspects put in for the attack clearly proves a premeditated plan.

The court also ruled that shooting multiple times on a caravan which lights were on and shutters open, with high caliber guns, can not be regarded to be for any other reason than to kill those inside the caravan.