Gripping testimony of a victim of zuurgooier: Gekrijst as a cat under the car arrives

Antwerp “There was I, wrapped up like a mummy. For 41 percent burned and wailing in pain.” Ragna Sels (41), who last summer at the Antwerp Sint-Jansplein with sulphuric acid was poured, in the court a poignant witness. The offender, Ragna's ex, risking up to 20 years in prison.

Antwerp prosecutor Mario Wijns let zuurgooier Jean-Pierre W. (58) the choice: 18 years in prison and 15 years of posting of the strafvoeringsrechtbank (TBS), if he would sincerely regret would show and excuses to offer. Does W. not that, then it would be of Wine, the maximum penalty for attempted murder requirements: 20 years, plus 15 years of TBS.

Quickly became clear that the W. sausage will being. The fifties - which is already the entire session of ‘no’ had to sit to shake, and from time to time by agents of the mouth had to be silenced - put in his last word an impressive scheldtirade and left after that captivated the stage.

Perhaps it was the gripping testimony of Ragna just before him in the war? The woman told the three judges up in detail about the cowardly zuuraanval, the excruciating pain and her suffering affliction)road to recovery. Even her lawyer Jos Vander Velpen - éminence grise of the Antwerp strafpleiters - was speechless. “I have seldom seen someone in such a resilience.”

“In a reflex I have in the bus shelter my handbag omhooggehouden, so only the right side of my face was hit. Then threw Jean-Pierre a second time with the acid,” said Ragna. “It was an animal in pain. I have gekrijst like a cat under a car. To me of the pain they have me in the ambulance asleep done. Only two weeks later, I am out of the coma woke up. There was I, wrapped up like a mummy. For 41 percent burned and wailing in pain.”

“Nine operations, I am now behind us and there will follow”, went Ragna further. “I wear 23 hours a day a drukpak. In order to attract, I have a home nurse is required. Ten hours a day, I wear a face mask that me barely allows it to move. Even when I sleep, I wear gloves. I can tell you: you get used to it. In everything I do, I need help.”

According to attorney Wijns, was the zuuraanval a “sophisticated attack”. “Jean-Pierre W. was its been a year to the stalking, because he is the rupture of the victim could not verkroppen. In the weeks before the facts escalated the situation. On 20 July he sent her a picture of a acid-damaged woman. A week later: “I have found the solution. It costs only 7 euro in the Range and if I was five years must sit, then I was that sure about it.” The day for the facts: “What's going to happen, you go you the rest of your life remember. You will you filthy paardensmoel never more in the mirror and dare to see.” The victim had for 4 August, an appointment with the police made to file a complaint, but that appointment would she not pick it up.”

W. denies that he was twice with the acid had been thrown and that he on her face had chucked. It was not his intention to kill her. “This is also evident in his threat, that they never more in the mirror would have dared to look. He wanted her only to hurt, but the impact of the sulphuric acid to be underestimated”, pleaded master Erik Bertels, that a re-qualification to succeed, and injuries early.

Judgment on 7 February.