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Judgment at the Essen regional court: Man has to go to prison for more than 13 years
Photo: Bernd Thissen / dpa
After a series of family violence, a man from Essen was sentenced to 13 years and six months in prison. According to the verdict, the now 58-year-old first threw his wife out of a window on the first floor in 2008 and then his then 18-year-old daughter in 2016.
Both women suffered comminuted fractures and severe internal injuries. They remained silent about the background for years. “Attempted suicide” is noted in her medical records. It wasn't until the defendant pushed his then-estranged wife off a train platform in Essen onto the rails in May last year that they went to the police.
Indefinite preventive detention
The judge spoke of “shocking acts”. The verdict of the Essen jury was attempted murder in three cases. In addition to the prison sentence, subsequent and indefinite preventive detention was also ordered - to protect the public. The judges consider the defendant to be an extremely dangerous criminal. "He has a tendency to throw people down somewhere," they said.
In court, the defendant denied throwing the window, but admitted hitting the tram tracks, which was filmed by a surveillance camera. The judgment is not final.
aeh/dpa