Title: Circus Operators Sentenced for Grievous Bodily Harm: Prison and Fines
Following a 15-day trial, the Regional Court of Bielefeld handed down convictions to the operators of a children's circus for causing grievous bodily harm. The sentences ranged from three and a half years in prison to fines, as reported by court spokesperson Guiskard Eisenberg. On trial were the 30-year-old director, his stepfather and son, and the director's wife, who were accused of punishing a Ukrainian couple who worked for them with a baseball bat, demanding more money and threatening to resign.
The director's wife lured the couple to a caravan where the 30-year-old struck and hit his employee on the head. During the trial, all defendants admitted to partaking in the incident and apologized to the victims. The couple was also assaulted by the stepfather and the then 16-year-old using an object. The wife was also charged with attempted murder but was eventually convicted of dangerous bodily harm since a phone call from the stepfather to the police after the attack was considered a withdrawal of the attempted murder charge.
The sentences varied: the 30-year-old director received a three and a half-year prison term, his stepfather was given a two-year suspended sentence, and the 17-year-old was sentenced to a year's probation under juvenile criminal law. The wife was fined 1,350 euros (90 daily rates of 15 euros each). The sentence was based on an agreement between the parties involved as part of a compensation deal, with the circus family paying 35,000 euros to the victims. The young man is required to find a job or apprenticeship; failure to do so will result in 60 hours of community service.
Further Reading
The 30-year-old director is from Holzheim, a town near Dillingen in the Bavarian region, while the criminal proceedings took place in the Regional Court of Bielefeld, situated in North Rhine-Westphalia. The couple from Ukraine served as employees in the circus, with the assault taking place during a stopover in Rheda-Wiedenbrück, part of the Gütersloh district. The fine levied on the director's wife amounted to 1,350 euros, equivalent to 90 daily rates of 15 euros each. Failure to find employment or an apprenticeship will result in 60 hours of community service for the young man. The Ukrainian couple had previously threatened to resign and demanded more money. The trial took place in the same court where a murderer might face conviction after 37 years.
Source:
