16 Years in Prison for Attempted Murder of Taxi Driver in Gdańsk

The District Court in Gdańsk has issued a 16-year prison sentence against Daniel M. for the attempted murder of a 25-year-old taxi driver. The crime was classified as particularly cruel due to the modus operandi. The perpetrator, after ordering a ride on the night of November 4, 2023, subdued the driver upon arrival using a stun gun, tear gas, and a telescopic baton. He then robbed him before brutally beating him unconscious. He tied up the severely injured man, wrapped him in tape, and placed him in the trunk of his own car, which he abandoned. The victim was found thanks to police intervention in the Górek Zachodnich area of Gdańsk. The prosecution charged the accused with attempted murder with a robbery motive, which the court found fully proven. Crimes against taxi drivers, including robberies, have been the subject of police analysis and public debate for years in the context of safety for professions exposed to client contact. The Penal Code for attempted murder, depending on circumstances, provides for a prison sentence ranging from 5 years to life imprisonment. The severity of the penalty depends on factors such as the degree of social harm of the act, the perpetrator's motivation, and the consequences for the victim. In the justification of the verdict, the court emphasized the exceptional brutality and premeditation in Daniel M.'s actions, who prepared for the attack by bringing various tools for subduing. The fact of leaving the severely injured victim without the possibility of calling for help in a locked trunk increased the risk of his death, which influenced the assessment of the perpetrator's behavior as particularly ruthless. The verdict is final, meaning the convict will begin serving his sentence in a prison. The attack victim, who suffered serious physical and psychological injuries, was represented by a legal representative in the trial. In the Polish legal system, such crimes are prosecuted ex officio, and the prosecutor gathers evidence in the preparatory proceedings, including witness testimonies, expert opinions, and material evidence. The institution supervising the proper execution of the sentence and the conditions of serving it is the Prison Service.