Appeal sought over football fan killing
The eight month prison sentence handed down to a Swedish football fan for killing a rival supporter has been appealed by the prosecutor, who has called for a longer stint behind bars.
On March 30th in southern Sweden fans of the Helsingborgs IF and Djurgården teams clashed in the city centre before the game kicked off.
A 43-year-old supporter of Djurgården was struck down by a 28-year-old. The victim was hit in the head, fell to the ground, and died in hospital care soon after.
In June he was given an eight month prison sentence for assault and manslaughter. He argued in court that he acted in self-defence but several witnesses claimed that the attack was unprovoked.
"He isn't just any supporter. He knows how to fight and is trained in martial arts," prosecutor Eleonora Johansson told SVT.
Read also: Enough! The murder of a Swedish football fan
She added that the eight month sentence was too short and that it should be extended instead.
In the district court ruling it was revealed that the man's original sentence was 10 months but it was reduced to eight months as he said there was a risk he would lose his job if he was convicted.
"It is very difficult to estimate the penalty for this incident. The consequences are much greater than the conduct,"Johansson told the Helsingborg Dagblad newspaper.
Meanwhile the man's defence has called for the 28-year-old to be acquitted, saying that he acted in self-defence.
The lawyer for the victim's relatives defence has called for higher compensation to be paid out to his surviving family. Following the conviction they were awarded 40,000 kronor ($5,800) each.
In 2002 another Swedish football supporter was killed after clashes between fans of Gothenburg and Stockholm team AIK.
The Local/pr
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On March 30th in southern Sweden fans of the Helsingborgs IF and Djurgården teams clashed in the city centre before the game kicked off.
A 43-year-old supporter of Djurgården was struck down by a 28-year-old. The victim was hit in the head, fell to the ground, and died in hospital care soon after.
In June he was given an eight month prison sentence for assault and manslaughter. He argued in court that he acted in self-defence but several witnesses claimed that the attack was unprovoked.
"He isn't just any supporter. He knows how to fight and is trained in martial arts," prosecutor Eleonora Johansson told SVT.
Read also: Enough! The murder of a Swedish football fan
She added that the eight month sentence was too short and that it should be extended instead.
In the district court ruling it was revealed that the man's original sentence was 10 months but it was reduced to eight months as he said there was a risk he would lose his job if he was convicted.
"It is very difficult to estimate the penalty for this incident. The consequences are much greater than the conduct,"Johansson told the Helsingborg Dagblad newspaper.
Meanwhile the man's defence has called for the 28-year-old to be acquitted, saying that he acted in self-defence.
The lawyer for the victim's relatives defence has called for higher compensation to be paid out to his surviving family. Following the conviction they were awarded 40,000 kronor ($5,800) each.
In 2002 another Swedish football supporter was killed after clashes between fans of Gothenburg and Stockholm team AIK.
The Local/pr
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