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Serious bodily harm in Siegen: Court struggles for truth!
Siegen District Court hears serious bodily harm case from 2022: variety of witnesses, controversial allegations and possible discontinuation of proceedings.
Serious bodily harm in Siegen: Court struggles for truth!
A case of serious bodily harm is currently being heard at the Siegen district court, which occurred three years ago at a private party in a barbecue hut. Two 27-year-old men, one from Burbach and the other from Dortmund, are accused of significantly injuring a 26-year-old guest. The deep insights and the different versions of events make finding the truth complicated. The Siegen newspaper reported that numerous witnesses were present, but none could take on the role of organizer, which was not particularly conducive to the search for the truth.
The defendants, who according to the indictment were supposed to have acted as security people, vehemently deny the allegations. They claim that they were normal guests who were simply asked for help in a hurry. The defendant from Burbach, whose arm was in a bandage, said he only wanted to defend himself. His accomplice says he was just creating space and not hitting anyone. These narratives take on particular significance because they are supported by a witness who has not been heard before and who corroborates the defendant's version.
Consequences of bodily harm
The victim suffered multiple facial fractures in the incident and required surgery, a circumstance that underlines the seriousness of the allegation. In Germany, bodily harm crimes make up around 10% of total crime, as current statistics show. In 2018, according to the University of Potsdam 554,635 cases were recorded by the police, with a clearance rate of 88.5%.
The legal regulations regarding bodily harm are clearly defined. Serious bodily harm (§ 226 StGB) is recorded if physical integrity is violated with serious consequences, which could be the case in this case. The penalty ranges from one to ten years in prison if the charge leads to a conviction.
Court verdict and penalties
The trial ended without a verdict, which is an exception compared to many other cases. The court decided that it made sense to stop the proceedings and that the defendants should pay 500 euros each to the Evangelical Hospice Siegerland and the Child Protection Association. This could be due to the unclear evidence and the large number of witnesses who describe what happened from different perspectives, but without clear findings.
Given the increasing number of physical assault crimes that have been observed in recent years, the case in Siegen remains another example of the challenges facing the justice system. The results of the Statista show that the period from 2014 to 2024 shows a constant recording of such crimes and thus illustrates the prevalence of this problem in society.