Two men are on trial in Groningen, suspected of stealing stuffed animals from the memorial site for Jeffrey and Emma in Winschoten. They have apologized, but also say they were unaware of any wrongdoing.
The two twenty-year-old suspects were arrested at the end of May for stealing stuffed animals that had been placed for Jeffrey and Emma. The children had died a few days earlier at the hands of their father.
The suspects told the judge that they had no malicious intentions. “It was not the intention to hurt or offend other people,” Sadeddin N. said according to press agency ANP. Mohamed K. also said that he only later realized that he had offended the relatives with the theft.
The judge played a video of the theft that the two had posted on Facebook themselves. The suspects acknowledge that they can be seen and heard in the video.
“But I don’t think it’s destruction, because I didn’t break anything,” K. responded. “We didn’t actually cause any damage to anyone and that was not our intention at all,” N. said. He told the judge that he intended to give the stolen stuffed animals to his little brother or sister.
Community service of eighty hours and suspended prison sentence
The Public Prosecution Service (OM) demands community service of eighty hours for destruction, theft and violence “against the memorial site”. In addition to the community service, the Public Prosecution Service requests a prison sentence of 30 days, of which 25 days are suspended. The remaining five days have already been spent in pre-trial detention. The verdict is expected later on Tuesday.
There is also a third suspect in the case. He is a minor and will be tried in a different way.