Inmate sentenced to additional prison time for fatal speeding accident

A 53-year-old inmate has been sentenced to an additional three and a half years in prison for causing a fatal car accident while on open prison leave. The man was serving a sentence for insolvency and an unpaid fine in an open correctional facility in Moers-Kapellen, which allows inmates to leave the prison during the day.

The fatal incident occurred last December when the inmate, driving at an estimated 110 km/h on a dry road, lost control of his vehicle in a curve. He collided head-on with a small car driven by a 70-year-old woman, who died at the scene. The inmate sustained minor injuries, while his passenger was unharmed.

The Krefeld District Court found the 53-year-old guilty of a prohibited motor vehicle race resulting in death and imposed a four-year driving ban. The court rejected the defendant's explanation that he was speeding only because he was "lost in thought" while on his way to buy Christmas presents with his wife. The judge presiding over the case did not believe the father of two's account.

Following the accident, the inmate was transferred from open to closed custody. The prosecution had requested the sentence handed down by the court, which followed their recommendation. However, the defense attorney argued that a probationary sentence would have been sufficient for their client, who had confessed to the charges. The verdict is not yet legally binding, as the defense has announced its intention to appeal.