Court Sentences Man to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Murder of Partner

The Regional Court in Recklinghausen, North Rhine-Westphalia, announced on Thursday, March 6, 2026, a verdict sentencing a 38-year-old man to ten years in prison for the attempted murder of his 37-year-old partner. The incident occurred in November 2025 at the couple's apartment in Haltern am See. According to the court's findings, the man attacked the woman with a knife, inflicting multiple wounds to her chest and abdomen. The attack took place in the presence of the couple's two minor children, who were direct witnesses to the violence. The victim of the attack, despite sustaining serious, life-threatening injuries, survived thanks to immediate medical assistance. Her condition was described as critical, but after surgeries and hospitalization, the woman was able to testify in the trial. The testimonies of the children and neighbors, who responded to screams coming from the apartment, constituted key evidence. The court emphasized the traumatic experience of the minor witnesses, which was taken into account when determining the sentence. The German Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch) for attempted murder (§ 211, 212 StGB) stipulates a prison sentence of no less than five years, and in particularly severe cases, a life sentence. The court is obliged to assess the degree of the perpetrator's guilt, mitigating and aggravating circumstances, and the consequences of the act for the victim and society. The defendant pleaded guilty to the charges. During the trial, the prosecution presented the motivation for the attack, citing jealousy and an escalating conflict in the relationship. The court found that the act was committed with the direct intent to take a life, and the use of a knife and multiple stabbings demonstrated the perpetrator's determination. The circumstance of committing the crime in the presence of children was considered particularly aggravating, increasing the social harm of the act. The court did not find any mitigating circumstances that could significantly influence a reduction of the sentence. The ten-year prison sentence means the perpetrator will be sent to a standard-security correctional facility. He has the right to appeal the verdict to the Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof) within a specified period. The case, due to its brutality and the context of domestic violence, has received widespread coverage in local media in North Rhine-Westphalia. They highlighted not only the act of violence itself but also the long-term psychological consequences for the surviving woman and her children, who will require specialized support.