The Brussels Prosecutor’s Office demanded Thursday a prison sentence of 20 years for Jelle Frenken, the man who threw acid on a cleaning lady working at a Delhaize store in Antwerp. The Prosecutor’s Office also dictated a 15-year provision period of the court responsible for the enforcement of sentences. “Mr. Frenken is a very dangerous person and the risk of recurrence is exceptionally high”, declared Prosecutor’s Office assistant Jennifer Vanderputten.
“In the first e-mail message sent by Frenken to the Delhaize company there was a photo of Patricia Lefranc, the woman whose face was sprayed with vitriol by her former boyfriend,” explained the assistant. “It is thus clear that his intention was to harm the victim’s face. He also mentioned sulfuric acid from the start and expressed his intention of using it. Frenken knew the consequences of such an attack.”
"Also, Jelle Frenken did not use just any substance; he specifically chose the strongest and most dangerous one,” emphasized the Prosecutor’s Office. “From his manner of acting, his choice of product and the part of the body attacked, everything points to Frenken knowing well and accepting that his attack might have been deadly.”
The Prosecutor’s Office has requested that he be declared guilty of attempted murder and furthermore demanded the maximum prison sentence and the longest provision period possible.
“Only God knows what other acts he would have committed had he not been stopped,” added assistant Jennifer Vanderputten. “When arrested he was in possession of a hunting knife, handcuffs, a hood, and Colson-type cable ties. At present we are unaware of what he intended to do with these things.”
The Brussels Times
