Amsterdam court fast-tracking year-end cases

A man who kicked a police officer in the head on old year’s day in Amsterdam was sentenced to six months in prison on Friday. Another man who bit two officers received two months conditionally. The city’s court is fast-tracking year-end offenses; both men had been held in pre-detention since December 31. Theirs were two of 26 year-end cases the Amsterdam Prosecutor’s Office had received; most of these have already been handled. Suspects faced sentences and fines for offenses that varied from spitting in the face of a railway worker, to violence and insults directed at police officers and vandalism. As per Friday seven cases that regarded vandalism and damages still required investigation. Country-wide police made 800 arrests around year-end, a 12% increase over last year. Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten announced earlier this month that fines, community service and prison sentences for light offenses will be 75 percent higher, while aggression and violence directed at people in public duty will be bumped to 200 percent.