Ten years in prison for Delft grenade attacks that injured tourist, damaged buildings
A 42-year-old man suspected of detonating hand grenades at two coffeeshops in Delft was convicted on Friday and sentenced to ten years in prison. The man prosecutors alleged was his accomplice was acquitted on charges related to the grenades, but convicted and sentenced to under two years in prison for separate weapons offenses, according to RTL News.
Michael B., from Delft, was accused of bombing the two locations on May 17, 2018. For his role in the case, prosecutors had asked the court to sentence him to 12 years in prison.
One tourist walking to catch a train was injured from the blasts, having received facial lacerations. Shrapnel caused property damage tens of meters away from the two coffeeshops.
The prosecution presented a case in an attempt to prove that B. and Dean P., of Den Haag, were the two people on a scooter seen in security camera footage on Peperstraat that day. The rear passenger was shown taking a hand grenade out of a bag, putting it in his pocket, and walking down the street.
A separate video showed the man, wearing a mask, placing a grenade on the door handle. The explosive fell down, rolled into the street, and exploded.
Prosecutors said DNA on the handle and pin of the grenade was that of Michael B.
B. and P. were in a car stopped at a checkpoint in Noordwijk in June 2018. Weapons were allegedly found in P.'s car.
Police investigating the duo found messages sent between the pair on their mobile devices, the prosecutor said, including on the day of the grenade attacks.
The prosecution wanted P. to go to prison for eight years for the grenade blast, weapons possession, and attempting to sell a weapon. He was acquitted in the May 17 incidents, but sentenced to 21 months in prison on the unrelated weapons charges, according to RTL Nieuws.
