The driver of a car that ploughed into a crowd in Belgium just over four years ago, killing several people, has been sentenced to 27 years in prison.
According to the Belgian news agency Belga, a court had previously found him guilty of seven counts of murder and 79 counts of attempted murder.
In March 2022, the man drove his car into a group of people at a carnival event in Strépy-Bracquegnies, some 40 kilometres south-west of Brussels. In addition to the fatalities, dozens of people were injured. The verdict is subject to appeal.
The court justified the sentence by citing the extreme gravity of the crime. The defendant had shown a profound contempt for human life and had steered his car into the crowd – which included children – without hesitation, the court said.
The serious human consequences of the offence were also taken into account, both for the victims' families and for the numerous injured. The man's character also played a role, according to Belga. He had been described as a dangerous driver who regarded the road as his "playground."
Shortly after the incident, investigators had established, according to Belga, that the driver had been under the influence of alcohol. His blood alcohol level was reportedly just above the legal limit. The man is also said to have described himself online as a speed demon. The authorities did not suspect a terrorist motive.
The man's passenger was also reportedly given a two-year suspended prison sentence for failing to render assistance.
