The Charleroi Correctional Court sentenced Abderrahim B. on Wednesday morning to five years in prison for attempted extortion with violence.
The court also imposed a partial probationary period of five years, for half of the sentence, on the defendant, who was being held under electronic surveillance.
The prosecution had requested a sentence of 7 years in prison for the defendant, who had two prior convictions. The defence had pleaded for a probationary suspension.
Abderrahim B confirmed that, armed with a screwdriver, he committed an extortion attempt in a sports betting agency in Jumet (Charleroi, Hainaut province). He was unable to explain why he did so.
On 7 June last, the defendant entered the sports betting agency at around 4.25pm. “He made €300 worth of bets and was calm and quiet. An hour later, he started shouting and went towards the cash desk. He ordered my client to give him the till, while threatening her with a screwdriver,” the prosecution said.
"She suffered two blows that perforated her abdomen”, the prosecution added. The victim managed to make her attacker flee by pressing the emergency button to alert the police.
The defendant, who admitted the facts, swore that he had been carrying a ballpen. “I don’t recognise myself in my actions. I didn’t want to hurt her, I just wanted to scare her. I don’t know what happened,” he said.
