An 81-year-old woman from Volendam has just received a sentence of two years in prison for the attempted homicide of her neighbours, who were also elderly.
The incident occurred on April 10, 2020, when the woman tried to burn down her neighbours home through their mailbox while they were likely asleep, reports RTL.
Thankfully, the couple’s smoke detector alerted them and they managed to escape through the first-floor window. Witnesses saw the fire break out at around 7 AM and called the emergency services.
However, the couple inhaled smoke and were taken to the hospital to receive treatment, according to police.
Motive
So what reason would an 81-year-old woman have for wanting to take her neighbours’ lives?
The suspect and her neighbours have had issues and confrontations with each other for many years. In April of last year, the woman cited noise complaints and she just, well, had enough.
“Yeah, I’m all done with it, they’re making a fuss all night, I’m setting it on fire,” the woman told a passerby who witnessed the fire. That’s cold, Oma! 😱
Apparently, the woman went back to her own house after the act and she told the court that she acted in a fit of madness. The court wasn’t buying her story, however, and determined that the woman had a preconceived plan to murder them. This means that she was found guilty of both arson and attempted murder.
Her age
The judge took into account her old age and clean criminal record in determining her sentence: two years in prison.
The suspect was released earlier pending her trial and she may also wait freely for a possible appeal.
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Feature Image: cakifoto/Depositphotos