Prosecution appeals cafe fire ruling1 August 2003

Prosecution appeals cafe fire ruling1 August 2003
The public prosecutor will appeal against the suspended jail sentence imposed on the owner of the Volendam cafe after a fire killed 14 youths and injured almost 300 more on 31 December 2000. Veerman, 57, was convicted of culpable homicide and negligence which led to the New Year's Eve fire and was sentenced to a 12-month suspended jail term and 240 hours community service. The prosecution had demanded a 16-month jail term.

The prosecution admitted it had taken the decision to appeal the court's ruling with some hesitation, but said the sentence imposed on Veerman in the Haarlem Court gave "insufficient justice to the seriousness of the facts", Dutch associated press ANP reported on Friday.
But no appeal will be lodged against the acquittal of cafe manager John Veerman (no relation). The 35-year-old had also been charged with culpable homicide and negligence and the prosecution had demanded a 10-month jail term, but the court ruled that he did not have the authority to make independent decisions over the management of the cafe.

The lawyers representing cafe owner Veerman said on Wednesday they had also lodged an appeal, but it is not yet certain if the defence will formally proceed. Lawyers said they still needed to discuss the matter with their client, but the period in which an appeal could be lodged after the 18 July court ruling expired on Friday, forcing their hand. The fire in the Volendam cafe De Hemel shocked the small coastal fishing village and 214 victims and their lobby group, BSNV, have launched a compensation case against Veerman. The pending civil procedure will be mainly carried out by correspondence and could take several years.