The public prosecutor had applied for the man to be sent to a psychiatric hospital because he was suffering from psychosis, was therefore not criminally liable but was a danger to the public. The man admitted everything and expressed regret for what he had done.

On the evening of 22 June, he said he felt threatened by the jogger who appeared on a lane in front of him. She noticed there was something wrong with the man. He blocked her path, grabbed her by both upper arms and screamed at her. “He had a mad look,” she said. She shouted at him to let her go but he continued to hold her and pulled her to him. She freed herself but he grabbed her again harder and she panicked because she did not know what the man wanted. She looked around but there was no one within earshot.

She finally managed to free herself and run away. Once at a safe distance, she called the police. Since the incident she has had to force herself to go jogging, cannot get rid of her fear and always monitors very carefully who is on the street.

All those taking part in the proceedings agreed that even if the 52-year-old, who has been treated in hospital a total of 30 times, was currently lucid, he could not be released into the community. The man, who was living on the streets, had no support network to guarantee he would take his medication. He had already appeared in court in Euskirchen in 2015 accused of having a Samurai sword on the street and smashing cars.

The court ordered he be sent to a psychiatric hospital. The judge said he was and remained dangerous and no one wanted to experience what the jogger had had to suffer. The 52-year-old was happy as he said he felt safe and well in hospital.

(Original Text: Rita Klein. Translated by Kate Carey.)