On 10 January 2023, a pupil was stabbed in the leg and hand in Emile Mayrisch Park in Dudelange. The accused, a 21-year-old man of Syrian origin who was 19 at the time of the incident, appeared in court on Tuesday afternoon, facing charges of attempted manslaughter and assault.
The attack had taken place around 1.30 pm, during lunchtime for local schoolchildren. A group of teenagers were in the park near the church when the perpetrator first stole a 17-year-old pupil’s mobile phone.
The accused initially claimed he took it because he thought it was his own phone that had previously been stolen, but at another point, he claimed to have acted out of frustration over his phone’s theft. During the robbery, he punched the student in the face and kicked him in the back.
Shortly after, the man approached two more 17-year-olds, asking for a cigarette. Just moments later he demanded the whole pack. Given the two youngsters had witnessed the previous incident, they handed it over immediately.
Despite this, the perpetrator threatened them with murder, escalating the situation into a physical brawl. As they all fell to the ground, one student managed to get up while the other tried to restrain the accused. At that moment, the attacker pulled a knife from his fanny pack, stabbing one of the teenagers in the leg and cutting his hand.
However, the victim managed to wrest the knife away and discard it. The injured pupil sustained stab wounds, bruises, and signs of physical violence on his head and back.
In court, the accused admitted to the offence but emphasised his mental illness. He stated that he had been on medication since the incident and felt better, repeatedly expressing remorse.
A court-appointed psychiatrist diagnosed the defendant with psychosis, noting his emotional detachment. During psychiatric treatment, the man reported delusions, including paranoia about being targeted by homosexuals and seeing conspiracies everywhere.
He is further said to have had aspirations to study commerce but struggled to secure an internship.
The prosecution is now seeking a 15-year prison sentence with a probationary period, contingent on the accused continuing therapy. The court found his claim of not intending to kill implausible, citing the victim’s torn jacket at chest level, the accused’s willingness to engage in violence, and his explicit death threats to the pupils.
The verdict is set to be delivered on 27 February.
