No punishment for train-surfing vloggers
Two 18-year-old vloggers will not be fined or sent to prison for jumping on the roof of a Veolia train in June, the court ruled on Friday according to 1Limburg.
The judge did order the two boys, Willem Vink and Jimmy van Vonderen, to go have a conversation with Veolia train drivers. The drivers will tell the about their traumatic experiences with people who jump in front of trains.
The two teenagers jumped from a viaduct onto a train traveling from Nijmegen to Molenhoek in June. They filmed the event and posted it on YouTube. Vink apologized afterwords, saying it never occurred to him what impact it could have.
Veolia pressed charges. According to the transporter, the boys could face up to 15 years in prison for deliberately causing danger on the railway. But the Public Prosecutor decided that it can not be proven that the train traffic was in danger. The teenagers were therefore charged for causing a disturbance.
Veolia is satisfied with the court's decision. "We see merit in this alternative punishment rather than a fine", a spokesperson said. The transporter is looking for suitable train drivers to talk to the boys.
