A 15-year-old boy in Sweden, who filmed himself committing a brutal murder, has had his four-year sentence of closed juvenile care upheld by the Court of Appeal. The crime, described as particularly ruthless and causing severe suffering to the victim, involved meticulous planning. Despite the heinous nature of the act, the court did not extend the sentence, citing the boy's age.
15-Year-Old Sentenced for Brutal Murder: Court Upholds Verdict
15-Year-Old Sentenced for Brutal Murder: Court Upholds Verdict
A 15-year-old filmed himself as he brutally murdered a man and was sentenced to four years of closed juvenile care by the district court. The Court of Appeal has now upheld the verdict. "The act was particularly ruthless and caused severe suffering to the victim," the court stated.
In February this year, the boy began contemplating killing someone. One day, he sharpened a kitchen knife and practiced by stabbing a stuffed toy resembling the children's film character Totoro. He then left his home in Norrköping to realize his fantasies.
He went to the Himmelstalund outdoor area, where he followed a man in his 30s before stabbing him from behind. The victim tried to run but fell to the ground. The 15-year-old then began filming as he stabbed the man in the head.
"What a great day," the boy is heard saying on the video as he completes the crime.
Sentenced to Juvenile Care
The boy was sentenced to four years of closed juvenile care by the district court. As interpreted by the district court, no 15-year-old convicted of murder can be sentenced to prison.
The Court of Appeal has now upheld the verdict.
"XX is to be convicted for planning and intentionally seeking out and killing a person unknown to him by repeatedly stabbing them with a knife in the back, shoulder, chest, head, and arm, all in accordance with the indictment. The act should, as the district court found, be classified as murder," the Court of Appeal wrote.
The district court noted that the act was "extremely brutal and barbaric" and pointed out that an adult would have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the same crime. The Court of Appeal agrees with this assessment.
"The act was particularly ruthless and caused severe suffering to the victim. It was also preceded by careful planning," the Court of Appeal wrote.
The district court also questioned whether the punishment was sufficient. However, the Court of Appeal chose not to extend the sentence.
Not Seriously Disturbed
The investigation found no evidence that the boy belonged to any violent group. However, he has an interest in violence, anti-Semitism, and Nazism.
The boy also does not have a mental disorder, according to the forensic psychiatric examination he underwent.
In police interviews, the 15-year-old described how the victim's death anxiety filled him with joy.
"He was terrified, extremely scared, and I think that also contributed to the experience being even more fun," the boy said.