Tennis coach gets 18 years for businessman Everink's murder

Former tennis coach Mark de J. was sentenced to 18 years in prison by the court in Utrecht on Tuesday. The court found him guilty of murdering businessman Koen Everink in March 2016. The sentence is equal to what the prosecutor demanded, NOS reports.

The judge considered it proven that De J. stabbed Everink to death in the business man's home in Bilthoven. Evidence against the former tennis coach included the fact that De J. was in Everink's home the night of his murder, and he owed Everink a large amount of money. According to the broadcaster, De J. was supposed to repay the money by March 4th, 2016 - the day Everink's body was discovered.

Everink was found murdered in his Bilthoven villa on March 4th, 2016. He was stabbed 24 times. This happened while his then 6-year-old daughter was sleeping upstairs. She was the one who found his body.

De J. and Everink were friends. The night of the murder, De J. was at Everink's home, watching sports. The 30-year-old former tennis coach denies having anything to do with Everink's death. He claims that he was overpowered and kidnapped by four men while in his car on the night of the murder. He also says that men approached him before and threatened the millionaire businessman

Like the Public Prosecutor, the court found this claim unbelievable.

De J. was not in court to hear the sentence against him. It is not yet clear whether he will appeal.