The Luxembourg City Court handed down an 18-year prison sentence (with 12 years suspended) to a former Jeunesse Esch youth coach on Thursday for manslaughter and related charges stemming from a January 2023 fatal altercation. The convicted man must also undergo five years of court-ordered psychiatric treatment and victim compensation upon release, along with paying damages to affected parties.
The case relates to a confrontation on 19 January 2023 near Jeunesse Esch’s training grounds where the coach fatally stabbed a 25-year-old Iraqi refugee. While court records indicate the victim had initially threatened players and staff with the same knife, judges rejected the defendant’s self-defence claim, noting he continued attacking after the victim was immobilised.
Another individual involved in the football incident - a player’s father - was convicted of grievous bodily harm but received no penalty.
In a separate verdict issued the same day, the former coach received a 24-month suspended sentence and €2,000 fine for domestic violence involving physical abuse and knife threats against his partner.
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