Prosecutor Seeks 15-Year Sentence for Attempted Murder of Woman in Den Helder

Prosecutors are seeking a 15-year prison sentence for a 28-year-old man from Den Helder accused of attempting to murder a woman in Hollands Kroon, North Holland, in 2024. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) believes there is sufficient evidence that the man intended to kill the victim, who was stabbed fifteen times with a knife. The OM also seeks nearly 42,000 euros in damages for the victim. The accused allegedly waited for the woman at her apartment after work, using a key he had kept from a period of close friendship. The victim reportedly survived by biting the assailant's arm and escaping, narrowly avoiding becoming another femicide victim, according to the OM. The woman sustained permanent injuries and scarring from the attack. The relationship between the two had soured a year prior when the woman ended their close contact and began a relationship with another man. The suspect allegedly harassed them, leading the woman to report stalking to the police and obtain a restraining order. Despite this, he appeared at her home after her evening shift and carried out the stabbing. He fled the scene with the knives and later attempted suicide, found by cyclists the following morning with stab wounds. The OM presented evidence suggesting premeditation, including CCTV footage of the man purchasing knives, duct tape, a claw hammer, and zip ties the day before the incident. His internet search history reportedly included terms like "stabbing to death," "prison sentence for murder," and information about knives, as well as an article about a woman with the same name as the victim. The suspect provided conflicting statements about the events, which the OM contends are contradicted by forensic evidence and his own actions.