Dutchman gets 18 years for throwing acid in Belgian woman's face

Dutch man Jelle F. was sentenced on appeal to 18 years in prison for throwing acid in a woman's face in a Delhaize supermarket in Antwerp two years ago, ANP reports.

The sentence is the same as when F. first stood trial. Unlike the first trial however, the appeal judge did not find F. guilty of attempted murder, but of extortion and torture. According to the court, it is not clear that F. wanted to kill his victim.

F. attacked his victim, a 53-year-old cleaning lady, in February 2015. In the period before that he threatened and extorted the supermarket. He told the authorities that he wanted revenge on the company after he lost his job.

The victim, who was permanently scarred in the attack, is happy that his sentence was not reduced. "This man simply does not belong in society", she said, according to ANP.