Tbs of man who killed 15-year-old Ximena extended by two years
The Hague district court has extended the tbs order of Stanley A. by two years, saying there is still a long way to go in his treatment.
The district court in The Hague on Tuesday extended the tbs order of Stanley A., 39, by two years. A. killed 15-year-old Ximena in 2012. The court ruled immediately, after the Public Prosecution Service asked for the extension.
In 2013 A. was sentenced to seven years in prison and tbs with compulsory treatment (dwangverpleging).
A. still has a disorder, and the risk that he will offend again is assessed as high. The Mesdagkliniek, where he stays, currently sees no progress in his treatment. “There is still a long way to go,” the court concluded.
The public prosecutor described A.'s problems as “complex and chronic”. Experts expect he will need some form of help or support for his whole life. “According to experts, A. has a fascination with murder and death,” the prosecutor said.
A. said he felt relief that they will now look for a different place for him. He said he understood that his tbs had been extended and that he may need care for the rest of his life: “I have a disorder I can't get rid of. I was born with it and I'll die with it.”
Follow the story: OM
OM (Openbaar Ministerie)
The Public Prosecution Service, which decides whether suspects are prosecuted and brings criminal cases to court.
tbs (terbeschikkingstelling)
A Dutch court order under which a person who committed a serious crime and has a mental disorder is placed in a forensic psychiatric clinic for treatment, rather than only serving a prison sentence. The aim of the treatment is to reduce the risk of reoffending, and the court reviews the order regularly. Extending a tbs order, as in this case, means the court decides the person still needs clinical treatment and remains a risk to society.
Mesdagkliniek
The Mesdagkliniek is a forensic psychiatric clinic in the Netherlands where people under a tbs order are held and treated. Its treatment programmes are aimed at reducing the risk that patients will commit new crimes. When the article says the clinic sees no progress, it means the treatment team has not yet judged that the patient is ready to move toward release.