MAASTRICHT - The court in Maastricht handed down an unlawful sentence in the case of the murder of Arnold Vink in Brunssum.The case became known as the "slipper murder case," because Vink was wearing only one slipper when he was found dead on March 10. The youngest of the four suspects, a 15-year-old Brunssumer, was sentenced to 15 months of juvenile detention, whereas under the Penal Code, 12 months is the maximum for juveniles under 16. "That is indeed a mistake," responded press judge A. Schreinemakers. Nevertheless, the verdict stands. "A verdict in the Netherlands can only be affected on appeal."

That appeal is coming: the prosecution (OM) has appealed in all four cases. In the case of the fifteen-year-old because the court gave a wrong verdict: "Fifteen months is not allowed at all," says press officer A. Rogier. Not even if five months of that are conditional, nor if the defendant has turned sixteen in the meantime. "At the time of the facts the boy was fifteen and that is the moment that counts," Rogier said.

Attorney S. van Berge Henegouwen of the - now - 16-year-old is not happy with the appeal. "My client doesn't get anything out of it. By the time the appeal comes up, he will have served his 10 months."