Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Samurai Sword Attacks on Hairdresser

A 44-year-old man from Maaseik has been sentenced to six years in prison by the Tongeren correctional court for attacking his hairdresser with a samurai sword on two separate occasions in Neeroeteren. The court also appointed an expert to assess the victim's injuries and the damages incurred.

The incidents occurred on January 5 and 7. The man first stormed into the hair salon with the sword on January 5, fueled by suspicions that his hairdresser was interested in his girlfriend. Two days later, following an argument with his girlfriend and her father about the alleged relationship, the man consumed drugs and alcohol at a bar.

In a drunken state, he returned to the now-closed hair salon, banging on the windows and doors. When the hairdresser opened the door, the man rushed in, pushed him into a chair, and attempted to stab him in the face with the sword. The hairdresser narrowly avoided the blow, and the sword became lodged in the chair and wall. The victim then fled outside.

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He tried to stab me in the face with the sword.

The assailant pursued the hairdresser, tackling him to the ground. Witnesses observed the man sitting on the victim, pressing the sword against his throat. With the help of bystanders, the hairdresser managed to break free and escape into a nearby real estate agent's office. The attacker then turned his aggression towards the agent and the agent's car before police arrived to arrest him.

Before the court, the man claimed he had lost control due to the combination of drugs and alcohol, stating he never intended to kill the hairdresser. However, the judges ruled that he did intend to cause harm, noting he had ample opportunity to reconsider his actions after leaving his home with the sword.

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But I never intended to kill the hairdresser.