Six years in prison for girlfriend, cop murders

The Leeuwarden Court of Appeal ruled on Thursday that 29 year-old Alasam S. will serve a six year prison sentence and undergo compulsory psychiatric treatment. The appeal resulted in a 22 year reduction on the original sentence of 28 years imprisonment. Alasam S., a failed asylum seeker from Benin in Northern Africa, used a fire extinguisher to batter his girlfriend to death in April 2011. He then shot and killed police officer Dick Haveman, shot and injured another bystander, all during a "psychotic meltdown" in Baflo, Groningen three-and-a-half years ago. The Court of Appeal cited Alasam S.'s mental instability at the time of the attacks when cutting his sentence down, saying he was not fully cognisant of what he was doing. In light of the defendant's mental illness, a reduced sentence will be served for two counts of manslaughter, one count of attempted murder and aggravated assault. Alasam S. went on a rampage after receiving an official letter informing him he lost his right to live in the Netherlands. He came to the Netherlands in 2001, as a 15 year-old unaccompanied minor. At the age of 17 it had been determined that Alasam S. was in need of psychiatric treatment.