Utrecht tram shooter found guilty of attempted murder in prison; No extra jail time
The Rotterdam District Court found Gökmen T., who is currently serving a life sentence for an attack on a Utrecht tram in 2019, guilty of the attempted murder of a prison guard. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) had demanded an additional ten-year sentence, but the court did not impose an additional sentence, stating on Tuesday that it “would have no more than symbolic meaning.”
In March 2019, T. opened fire on a tram at 24 Oktoberplein in Utrecht, killing four people and injuring six others. He received a life sentence in March 2020.
While in custody at the De Schie penitentiary in Rotterdam in February 2021, T. stabbed a prison guard in the neck and face with a piece of copper he had taken from a refrigerator pipe. The court deemed this act attempted murder, as he fabricated a self-made stabbing weapon specifically for this purpose.
In October 2021, T. attempted to seriously injure another guard by throwing a pan of hot oil at him, an act the court considered serious assault. On the same day, he destroyed a television, microwave, game console, and air fryer in the recreation room. In July 2022, he also significantly damaged fitness equipment.
The OM demanded an additional ten-year sentence, arguing that it could impact any future early release requests. However, the court disagreed, stating that an additional sentence would not advance the objectives of prevention and retribution "for the simple reason that the suspect is already serving a life sentence." Therefore, a prison sentence in this case "serves no reasonable purpose and would have no more than symbolic meaning,” the court stated.
Nevertheless, T. is ordered to pay compensation for the stabbed prison guard and the facility for the destroyed items. T. did not attend the announcement of the verdict.
