Dutch man gets 8 years for attacking swimmers with machete at Belgian ice cream shop

A Belgian court sentenced a Dutchman to eight years in prison for attacking three German youths with a machete at an ice cream parlor in Belgium last year. Several members of the Dutchman’s family were also sentenced to prison. They also have to pay 7,300 euros in damages, the Belgian broadcaster VRT reports.

The Dutchman’s family went to get ice cream at an ice cream parlor along the Albert Canal in Kanne in July last year but were apparently disturbed by three young Germans swimming in the canal. Two of the youths were swimming naked, and the third had trunks on. According to VRT, the family shouted homophobic slurs at the young Germans and told them to put their clothes on.

The swimmer who was already wearing trunks got out to put more clothes on. When the family kept yelling slurs at him, he made a rude gesture. The woman hit him with a key, and the rest of the family joined the brawl. The woman and the young swimmer fell along the water’s edge.

The woman called her Dutch boyfriend, saying that she had been punched in the stomach, which was worrying because she was pregnant. The man charged into the ice cream parlor with a hammer and a machete and attacked the German youth without warning. The victim was hit three times on the shoulder and in the face before the whole family fled.

Responding police officers found the young man bleeding profusely. According to VRT, he had several cuts, including one just missing his artery.

The court sentenced the Dutchman to eight years in prison for the attack. The four other family members also got prison sentences and fines of up to 1,600 euros. In total, the family has to pay 7,300 euros in compensation.

According to VRT, this is not the Dutchman’s first run-in with the law. He has several violent- and drug crime convictions to his name. Later on Friday, he also has to stand trial for delivering an ecstasy pill that killed someone.