Bladel man sentenced to juvenile detention for New Year's Eve fatal stabbing

The court in Den Bosch sentenced 18-year-old Nick B. from Bladel to the maximum juvenile detention of 24 months and juvenile TBS for fatally stabbing a fellow townsman on New Year's Eve 2022. The defendant's claim of self-defense was not recognized by the court.

B. used a diving knife to kill an 18-year-old man around 3:00 p.m. in Blade in the province of Brabant, in front of a pizza shop with surveillance cameras. Footage shows that the stabbing incident was preceded by an argument that lasted several minutes. After the stabbing incident, the assailant ran away. The victim succumbed to injuries to his heart and lungs on a nearby driveway.

Nick B. from Bladel confessed that he stabbed his fellow townsman to death. B.'s lawyer stated that his client stabbed Hasan because B. was threatened with a firearm. That weapon was found, but it was not functional.

The prosecutor said that Nick B. appeared to be the aggressor in the video of the minutes-long argument. The prosecutor claimed the suspect threatened the victim with "a huge knife," while the victim remained calm.

The two suspects have a turbulent history. Both have previously been convicted of assaulting each other. B. received another six months in prison for this. The victim was also sentenced last year for a botched robbery attempt.

On Friday, the court rejected the appeal for self-defense, stating that the victim neither physically attacked nor provoked the stabbing. The suspect initiated the aggression by making death threats and pulling a knife. According to the court, the victim only made statements that he would shoot the suspect after the suspect pulled the knife. “The victim's behavior is therefore defensive and not offensive,” the court ruled.

The court also ruled that B. has diminished accountability. Experts indicated he has a behavioral disorder and an endangered personality development. The court believes that immediate measures are important to change his personality, and sentenced him to the maximum juvenile detention of 24 months and a juvenile PTS. The suspect is also ordered to pay over 90,000 euros in compensation to the victim's family.