A 39-year-old woman from Arnhem has been sentenced to ten years in prison and compulsory psychiatric treatment for arson resulting in deaths in January 2023. Originally appealing for a lesser sentence, she received a harsher punishment from the court of appeal.
Earlier this year, she was sentenced to nine years and compulsory treatment by a lower court. The woman set fire to an improvised residence above a shed after an argument, while visiting the tenant, who was her friend.
Both the tenant and another friend perished in the fire. The incident forced dozens of neighbors to evacuate, and seven nearby homes were declared uninhabitable, according to Omroep Gelderland.
The court of appeal considered a twelve-year sentence appropriate due to the severity of the case and the “indescribable suffering caused by the defendant,” but imposed a ten-year sentence due to her psychological issues. The woman is diagnosed with personality disorders and struggles to manage stress, according to an assessment from the Pieter Baan Center.
The court deemed psychiatric treatment necessary. She is also required to pay compensation to the victims’ families.
Source: NOS