A Syrian migrant who subjected his Dutch neighbor to months of harassment before stabbing her multiple times in a frenzied attack has been sentenced to just two-and-a-half years in prison.
The court in Den Bosch sentenced 34-year-old Subhi Al H. on Tuesday, also imposing compulsory psychiatric treatment following his conviction for attempted manslaughter and assault.
The attack took place in June 2023 in Helmond, after what the court described as a period of ongoing tension and intimidation. The victim, 60-year-old Jacqueliena, was sunbathing in her garden when Al H. threw an ashtray and a glass bottle at her from his balcony.
Moments later, she fled indoors — only to be confronted in her kitchen, where she was stabbed at least five times. Al H. briefly left, only to return and stab her again, leaving her badly injured in a pool of blood.
Jacqueliena survived thanks to the quick response of witnesses and a neighbor.
She has since moved out of her home and suffers from life-changing pain daily.
Speaking to local news outlet Omroep Brabant, the victim recounted the sustained period of harassment and anti-social behavior leading up to the assault. “He used my garden as an ashtray, played loud Arabic music in the middle of the night, and even urinated from his balcony.”
Despite the severity of the attack and Al H.’s violent past — he was already known to the authorities during his eight-year-long stay in the Netherlands — the court ruled that his schizophrenia played a significant role in the incident. This partial lack of culpability led to the combination of a relatively short prison sentence and forced psychiatric care.
During the trial, Al H. denied responsibility and claimed that someone else had attacked his neighbor. He and his lawyer had argued against the mandatory psychiatric care and requested either acquittal or alternative treatment options. The court rejected the defense’s version of events and insisted on a custodial sentence, stating the danger to the public and the severity of the crime demanded otherwise.
In addition to prison and psychiatric care, Al H. must pay over €14,000 in damages to his victim.
