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81-year-old axe murderer sentenced to prison

Published: 18 Jul 09 09:19 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/20764/20090718/

An 81-year-old man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for murder on Friday after hitting his longtime girlfriend repeatedly in the head with an axe.

The 67-year-old woman and 81-year-old man met at the beginning of the 1980s. Despite the fact that their relationship began to deteriorate after a few years, they continued to live together.

When they woke up on the morning of May 11, they hadn't spoken to each other since November of the previous year, which the man experienced as a difficult period.

According to his own testimony, the man asked the woman if they couldn't speak properly to each other, but she never replied. Then he went into the garage and got an axe, returned to the house and stood behind the woman and hit her in the head.

The forensics report confirms the woman was hit at least four times by the axe.
The district court found that the man clearly had time to plan the attack, and that he exposed the woman to extreme violence in a situation where she was entirely unable to defend herself.

The 81-year-old was ordered to pay damages of almost 100,000 kronor ($13,000) to the woman's sister and the woman's estate.

Norrtälje district court issued a lesser sentence than that presribed by law after taking the man's age into consideration, as well as the fact that he pleaded guilty. Prior to July 1, the sentence for murder was ten years, but this has been increased to a maximum of 18 years.

The man's lawyer, Matrin Cullberg, told TT that his client will not appeal the decision.

TT/The Local (news@thelocal.se/08 656 6518)

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12:16 July 18, 2009 by jack sprat
Ah well,I suppose true love cant last for ever....
15:28 July 18, 2009 by Inletwatcher
Humm seven years in the pen and only 13,000 in wrongful death? Four wacks with an axe, totally pre-meditated.

Sounds allmost worth it to kill someone in Sweden. Yeah, I said it.

Inletwatcher
17:27 July 18, 2009 by Kaethar
How much money do you think he has? Also, in all likelyhood he'll be either dead or senile in 7 years anyway.

That you think killing someone in Sweden is worth it says more about you than it does about Swedish law.
19:12 July 18, 2009 by Torvig
It is woefuly clear that neither of them enjoyed their current life anyway. Perhaps this has turned into a blessing for them both. And sister now has money for holiday.
22:05 July 18, 2009 by Nina_
Torvig, what you wrote was pretty awful, heartless.
23:49 July 20, 2009 by MadSlob
The swedish liberal system on crime is totally screwed up...Going down for a long time isn't about revenge...its about protecting the tax-paying citizen and we all deserve to be protected.7 years for premeditated murder is nonsensical in my view..I don't care how old the man is,he took some-one's life and should be sentenced accordingly....This serves as absolutely no deterrent to others out there who are potential killers.....Mollycoddling criminals is not going to make sweden a safer place...When is the system going to recognise that the victims of crime deserve better!?!
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