ROERMOND - The public prosecutor's office (OM) has demanded a 10,000 euro fine against water sports entrepreneur Jo. H (50) from Maasbracht for fencing outboard motors.
The suspect, for whom the prosecution also has nine months suspended prison sentence in store, denied yesterday that he knew or could suspect that he had purchased stolen goods. According to his fellow local Niek P.(27), who was on trial with H., he delivered to H. the motorcycles he stole at marinas in Central Limburg. The water sports entrepreneur allegedly even supplied concrete shears to cut locks on motorcycles.
In the fall of 2008, the water police announced that three men from Maasbracht and Echt had been arrested in connection with a series of thefts of outboard motors. These appeared to have been stolen from marinas in Herten, Ohé en Laak, Heel and Roermond. Niek P., who wanted to draw a line under his criminal past, confessed that he had committed the thefts with Bas v.d. B. (27) from Echt, and that Jo H. was the fence. Both say P.'s story is false. In the absence of more evidence, the prosecution could only charge the man from Echt with one fact. For that, prosecutor Toine van de Ven asked for acquittal yesterday. The prosecution believes that Niek P. deserves 240 hours of community service and five months of suspended imprisonment. His lawyer Jasmine Handring asked the judges not to impose the suspended prison sentence now that P. is back on the straight and narrow. According to counselor Hildje van der Ende of the water sports entrepreneur from Maasbracht, her client took the stolen outboard motors from constantly changing suppliers. It would not be customary in the industry for customers to identify themselves. She believes the man should be acquitted. The prosecutor called it "quite a coincidence" that those motors that Niek. P. had stolen were all in containers at H.'s place. The court will deliver its verdict on Wednesday, April 20.
