40 hrs community service for sending racist mail

A 29-year-old man from Arnhem has been sentenced to 40 hours community service for calling an applicant “a dark skinned negro” and refusing to hire him.

The incident had caused quite the stir in November last year. Jeffrey Koorndijk, who is of Surinamese origin had applied for an intern position at the computer store, but instead of a response he received an email from the company that was not meant for him. The sender had intended to send the email the owner of the company. “I looked into it, but it’s nothing. Firstly it’s a dark skinned (negro),” it stated. Jeffrey immediately filed a complaint for discrimination.

Reading his verdict today, the Judge said he did not believe the sender’s claim that the email had been meant as an internal, misguided joke. The magistrate said instead that he did believe the mail was racist.

The Prosecutor had also demanded 40 hours community service, saying that it concerned a matter of “discriminatory exclusion” that was triggered by the color of Koorndijk’s skin.

Koorndijk who is from Deventer said last week that the demand for 40 hours community service had been too low, because he is still troubled by the incident.