15 months in jail for gas station robbery

For his involvement in an armed robbery of a petrol station in Wognum, a man has been sentenced to 15 months in prison, of which six months on probation. The man supplied a firearm and ammunition to people he knew wanted to use it to commit a robbery.

He had bought the revolver and ammunition a week earlier and gave them to people who used the weapon during the robbery to threaten staff at the petrol station. Since several other people were present in addition to the staff, the judge heavily blames those involved for the fact that their actions had such an impact on innocent people and society as a whole.

At fault again

It also does not help the accused in this case that he was not exactly of impeccable character before he gave the robbers his weapon. He has previously been convicted of shop robbery and firearm possession. Moreover, Reclassering Nederland estimated that the likelihood of the man reoffending was considerable. That service therefore advised that a possible (suspended) prison sentence be accompanied by several special conditions, such as an obligation to report to the probation service, a location order and prohibition, assisted living and a treatment programme. The prosecutor demanded 15 months in prison, nine of which were suspended, along with a series of special conditions as suggested by the probation service.

Complicit

It was clear to the judge that the man was involved in the petrol station robbery. For the actual robbery of a petrol station under threat of violence, a two-year unconditional prison sentence can be imposed, although in this context the man is therefore not an executor but an accomplice. Prohibited possession of weapons is good for eight months on average. In sentencing, the judge weighed two things: the impact of what was done with the weapon he provided and the fact that he had previously been convicted of similar cases. The fact that he behaved in a certain way during the trial and that he is still quite young are in turn things that speak in his favour.

Nevertheless, the sentence is somewhat heavier than the prosecutor demanded: 15 months’ imprisonment, but six instead of nine months’ probation, or nine months’ imprisonment anyway instead of six. After that, a probation period of two years applies. If the man then re-offends, he may also serve the remaining six months in prison. However, the special conditions should help keep him out of trouble from now on.

Special conditions

“An obligation to report to the probation service, cooperating in outpatient treatment and counselling, cooperating in assisted living or social care and cooperating in substance control will be attached as special conditions to the conditional part of the sentence to be imposed,” the judge said. “In addition, a location ban with electronic monitoring will be included as a special condition, the duration of which will be determined by the probation service, with a maximum of six months.” Incidentally, the proposed location ban will not materialise.