A 26-year-old man has been found guilty of causing fatal injuries to a train inspector during an incident on a German train near Zweibrücken in February. The court heard that the accused, who did not have a valid ticket, viciously beat the inspector after being asked to leave the train. The assault, which was captured in full by surveillance cameras, left the victim with severe head injuries; he died two days later from brain haemorrhages.
The perpetrator, a Greek national residing in Luxembourg in a shared house in Leudelange, admitted during the trial that he had attacked the inspector, but denied any intention to kill him. The Zweibrücken Regional Court ultimately found him guilty of grievous bodily harm resulting in death, sentencing him to ten years in prison, slightly less than the 12 years requested by prosecutors. The court concluded that the defendant’s actions directly led to the death of the inspector.
The accused had fulfilled the victim’s family's demand for an apology, though relatives stated through NTV that his apology did not seem sincere. The victim, a single parent, leaves behind two underage sons.
The attack has sparked renewed debate in Germany about security on trains, with calls for increased measures to protect staff and passengers.
