Prosecutors seek community service over séance at children's graves
The Utrecht district court must now decide whether paranormal research at graves counts as grave desecration (grafschennis), after prosecutors demanded 40 to 200 hours of community service for four women.
The Public Prosecution Service (Openbaar Ministerie) demanded community service of 40 to 200 hours for four women on Wednesday. They are suspected of grave desecration at the Rusthof cemetery in Leusden, where they held a séance at children's graves five years ago.
The prosecutor called it an extraordinary and unique case, because the court must decide whether paranormal research is a form of grave desecration. Only one of the four suspects came to court on Wednesday.
According to the prosecution, questions were put to dead children at two graves. The prosecution says the suspects allegedly touched graves.
Prosecutors demanded 200 hours for Deborah M., 40 of them suspended, and 180 hours for Manon G., with 40 also suspended.
The defence lawyers want their clients acquitted. They say nothing was damaged or destroyed, their clients acted respectfully, the acts are not grave desecration, and the cemetery director had given permission.
The prosecutor noted that the law does not set heavy penalties for grave desecration. The demanded sentences are mainly meant to stop the suspects offending again.
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OM (Openbaar Ministerie)
The Public Prosecution Service, which decides whether suspects are prosecuted and brings criminal cases to court.