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| Seven convicted of Dutch linesman's manslaughter | Seven convicted of Dutch linesman's manslaughter |
| (4 months later) | |
| A Dutch court has convicted six young footballers and one player's father of the manslaughter of a volunteer linesman who was attacked after a youth match in December. | A Dutch court has convicted six young footballers and one player's father of the manslaughter of a volunteer linesman who was attacked after a youth match in December. |
| Judges in Lelystad sentenced the 50-year-old father, identified only as El-Hasan D, to six years in prison. Five teenage players were given two-year sentences in youth detention for their roles in the attack and another was sentenced to a year. A seventh player, aged 15, was sentenced to 30 days' detention for assault. | Judges in Lelystad sentenced the 50-year-old father, identified only as El-Hasan D, to six years in prison. Five teenage players were given two-year sentences in youth detention for their roles in the attack and another was sentenced to a year. A seventh player, aged 15, was sentenced to 30 days' detention for assault. |
| All the defendants had insisted they were innocent. They have two weeks to appeal. Their lawyers argued that the linesman, Richard Nieuwenhuizen, had an underlying medical condition that contributed to his death, but forensic experts said he died as a result of the beating. | All the defendants had insisted they were innocent. They have two weeks to appeal. Their lawyers argued that the linesman, Richard Nieuwenhuizen, had an underlying medical condition that contributed to his death, but forensic experts said he died as a result of the beating. |
| Judges said the players acted together in the fatal beating, and gave them the highest sentences available. "The seriousness of the event, the lack of a clear reason for it, the terrible consequences, the fact that they haven't accepted responsibility for their acts and the enormous shock it caused throughout society and the entire football world meant that the minors received the maximum possible sentence," the court said in a statement. | Judges said the players acted together in the fatal beating, and gave them the highest sentences available. "The seriousness of the event, the lack of a clear reason for it, the terrible consequences, the fact that they haven't accepted responsibility for their acts and the enormous shock it caused throughout society and the entire football world meant that the minors received the maximum possible sentence," the court said in a statement. |
| It said the father had received a heavy punishment because "instead of setting a good example to the youths by criticizing their behaviour he joined them in kicking and beating the linesman and has never accepted responsibility" for his actions. | It said the father had received a heavy punishment because "instead of setting a good example to the youths by criticizing their behaviour he joined them in kicking and beating the linesman and has never accepted responsibility" for his actions. |
| The attack took place on 2 December in the city of Almere, after the home team Buitenboys drew 2-2 with Nieuw Sloten, which is based in a mostly immigrant neighbourhood of Amsterdam. | The attack took place on 2 December in the city of Almere, after the home team Buitenboys drew 2-2 with Nieuw Sloten, which is based in a mostly immigrant neighbourhood of Amsterdam. |
| Nieuwenhuizen, 41, officiated in the match in which his son played. Initially he seemed to recover from the attack and shrugged off questions about whether he would file a complaint, but he collapsed later and died in hospital the following day. | Nieuwenhuizen, 41, officiated in the match in which his son played. Initially he seemed to recover from the attack and shrugged off questions about whether he would file a complaint, but he collapsed later and died in hospital the following day. |
| His death triggered a bout of soul-searching in Dutch football and beyond about the loss of respect for sports officials among youth players. "You can't imagine it happening," said the Ajax coach, Frank de Boer. "That boys of 15, 16 years short-circuit like that. You wonder about the parenting." | His death triggered a bout of soul-searching in Dutch football and beyond about the loss of respect for sports officials among youth players. "You can't imagine it happening," said the Ajax coach, Frank de Boer. "That boys of 15, 16 years short-circuit like that. You wonder about the parenting." |
| More than 12,000 people attended a silent march for Nieuwenhuizen in Almere on 9 December. The national football association chairman, Michael van Praag, said at a ceremony afterwards: "What can I do to teach today's football youth the difference between anger and aggression?. Football is emotion, but it's also winning and losing. You have to be able to do both, otherwise you don't fit in our sport." | More than 12,000 people attended a silent march for Nieuwenhuizen in Almere on 9 December. The national football association chairman, Michael van Praag, said at a ceremony afterwards: "What can I do to teach today's football youth the difference between anger and aggression?. Football is emotion, but it's also winning and losing. You have to be able to do both, otherwise you don't fit in our sport." |
| Nieuwenhuizen's sons said on Monday they hoped the convictions would send a message around the world that such attacks should not be tolerated in sport. | Nieuwenhuizen's sons said on Monday they hoped the convictions would send a message around the world that such attacks should not be tolerated in sport. |
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