Prosecution authority rules in case of five juvenile attackers of 21-year-old

The Canton of Zug Juvenile Prosecution Authority has ruled in the case of five youths who attacked a 21-year-old in the city last September. Tragically, the victim took his own life shortly afterwards, though it is not known whether this was related to the attack.
 
The incident took place on Schützenmattwiesein the city last September, when a group of eight youths asked Alain Meier for beer. When he declined, the youths, “who enjoyed a reputation for causing fear in the community”, attacked him brutally, causing the victim to sustain head injuries. As mentioned, Meier, who had mental health problems, took his own life just three days later.
 
The prosecution authorities have now determined what action is to be taken over the five youths, who at the time were aged between 15 and 16 years old.
 
Two have been convicted, one with a conditional sentence and the other with a partly conditional sentence. One of these two has since made it clear he will appeal against his sentence. One of the two sanctions meted out involves imprisonment combined with a non-internment measure.
 
It was also decided that the other three are to face criminal charges relating to attempted serious bodily harm and assault, with the prosecution service calling for a non-internment sanction in one case, with the other two detained in a young offenders’ detention centre for periods of between nine and 36 months.
 
All five have all spent up to 49 days in custody to enable the police to determine the precise course of events that evening, and each of them has been subject to intensive personality evaluation. The prosecution authority also disclosed that two of the offenders have spent the time between their arrest and yesterday’s ruling in youth detention centres.
 
Since this tragic event, the victim’s family have announced they want to campaign against youth violence with stricter punishments for offenders. In so doing they hoped young people would be able to walk around the city at night without fear of being attacked.  

(Symbolphoto Stefan Kaiser / Neue ZZ)