OM appeals against lack of extra jail time for Utrecht tram shooter's crimes in prison
The Public Prosecution Service (OM) is appealing the decision of the Rotterdam court in the case of Utrecht tram shooter Gökmen T. regarding his misconduct in prison. The OM said in a press release published on Wednesday that it "highly undesirable" that T. receives no additional punishment for his actions.
T. is currently serving a life sentence for the attack on a Utrecht tram in March 2019 that killed four people and injured six others.
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.
On Tuesday, the court convicted T. for stabbing a prison guard and throwing a pan of hot oil at another employee. He was found guilty of attempted murder. T. was also found guilty of damaging equipment in the recreation room, where he wanted to pray against the rules, and destroying fitness equipment in July 2022.
The OM demanded an additional prison 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.
The Public Prosecution Service stated in a press release on Wednesday that it will appeal this decision. "It is of great importance to draw a clear line when a person serving a life sentence commits a very serious crime within the walls of a prison," the OM stated.
"A conviction without sentencing could be seen as a carte blanche for misbehavior within the walls of a prison institution, and according to the Public Prosecution Service, this is a highly undesirable situation,” the OM concluded.
