Man could get 2 years for pushing ex onto subway tracks in front of son

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) demanded two years in prison against the man who pushed his ex in front of an approaching subway in Rotterdam in October. Bystanders rescued the victim from the track in front of her screaming 3-year-old child. The subway driver managed to brake just in time.

"You shouldn't think about what would have happened if the subway arrived 10 seconds earlier or had not braked in time," said the public prosecutor at the trial in the Rotterdam court. "It is not for nothing that you are not allowed to get on the track. That is life-threatening. Because of the subway itself, but also because of the 750 volts on the rails."

With surveillance camera footage of the incident, the OM tried to convince the judges that Javid A. was "trying to take his ex-wife's life." The video showed the 29-year-old woman waiting at the platform of Coolhaven station with her back to the rails. "Out of nowhere, A. takes a run-up and gives her a huge push. A few seconds later, a subway pulls up. A. walks back and watches," the prosecutor described the video.

The 29-year-old victim cried while watching the recording. "I was in shock, scared, didn't know what to do. My son's screams at that moment went through my marrow."

According to the woman, her son has been struggling with nightmares since the event, and he is reenacting the scene that happened right in front of him. "A bad man came and pushed my mother under the subway, he tells everyone on the street."

Her ex-husband A., who was previously convicted in France for assaulting the woman, was not present at his trial. He decided at the last minute to stay in jail.

"He never wanted this and is deeply ashamed. He finds it very difficult to tell his side of the story, but he is not a monster as he is being portrayed in the media," said his lawyer. "It was not a conscious attempt. He pushed her on a whim. Then you don't know if a subway is coming." She did not consider a collision with the already slowing subway "immediately fatal as with a train."

The court will rule on April 28.