The Court of Appeal in Ghent (East Flanders) has sentenced two men to 300 hours community service. The two brutally attacked a Manchester City supporter from the East Flemish town of Ninove. The attack that left the Manchester City fan in a coma happened in October 2021 on the carpark at Drongen Services on the E40 near Ghent. The men had initially been given 3-year suspended prison sentence, but they chose to appeal and have now been given community service.
300 hour’s community service for men that beat East Flemish Manchester City fan into a coma
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On the evening of 19 October 2021 a 65-year-old man was attacked as he left the shop at the Drongen motorway service area, near Ghent. He was returning home from the Champions League match between Club Brugge and Manchester City that had been played earlier in the evening.
The 65-year-old was wearing a Manchester City scarf. One of the assailants took the scarf while other assailant punched their victim and he fell back hitting his head on the ground. The Manchester City fan was in a coma for several days and suffered neurological damage as a result of the attack.
The police detained 5 suspects. The 24-year-old man that took the scarf and the 26-year-old man that hit the victim were given 3-year-suspeneded prison sentences by the Court of First Instance.
The three others accused of involvement in the assault were given 90 hours’ community service and a suspended fine of 8,000 euro for wilful negligence after they reached an out-of-court damages settlement with the victim.
The two man that actually carried out the assault appealed against their sentences. The Court of Appeal has now ruled that they should be given 300 hours community service rather that a 3-year suspended sentence.