Luxembourg Christmas Market: convictions in Emran case
Luxembourg's district court has ruled on the tragedy that claimed the life of a two-year-old child in 2019, sentencing two men to suspended prison terms.
Luxembourg Christmas Market: convictions in Emran case
The District Court of Luxembourg ruled on Thursday, nearly seven years after the events, on the tragedy that claimed the life of young Emran at the capital's Christmas market. The 16th Criminal Division found an ice sculptor and one of his collaborators exclusively liable.
The two defendants each received prison sentences of twelve and nine months respectively, both suspended. Financial penalties of 5,000 and 1,500 euros were also imposed upon them. Eight other people and entities, including the city's tourism office and municipal officials, were acquitted.
The tragedy dates back to November 2019. An ice sculpture weighing seven quintals collapsed on a two-year-old boy who was being photographed on the Knuedler grounds. Rushed to hospital, the young boy did not survive.
The investigation revealed negligence in the assembly. The structure was not secured on a stable support: weathered pallets of different heights served as the base. Furthermore, the inclination of the structure had not been checked. The sculptor and two assistants allegedly made errors that caused it to tip backwards.
During the trial, the artist argued that he had expressed his disagreement with the chosen site. He would have preferred the installation to be placed against the ice rink barrier rather than left in the middle of the thoroughfare. He had raised his concerns with the tourism organisation, but without insisting with sufficient vigour, according to his counsel.
For their part, representatives of the office claimed that their discussions had never mentioned any risk or safety issues. The precise allocation of responsibilities — between the town hall or the tourism office — was not clarified during the hearings. However, it emerged that areas of uncertainty remained on this matter, ambiguities that were only resolved twelve months after the incident, following an internal reorganisation.
The public prosecutor had requested prison sentences with suspension of six to twelve months, as well as financial penalties, against the sculptor, an assistant, and a senior official from the office who had commissioned the work. For the other defendants, acquittal was sought.
The decisions may be appealed within forty days. The presumption of innocence remains applicable until a final court order is issued.
Source: Le Quotidien
Source: Le Quotidien