Two 15-year-old Bratislava secondary school pupils remanded in custody over planned murder of fellow pupil
The Specialised Criminal Court in Banská Bystrica has remanded two 15-year-old secondary school pupils from Bratislava in custody on suspicion of preparing the premeditated murder of their fellow pupil.
Bratislava teenagers accused of preparing to murder fellow pupil held in custody
The Specialised Criminal Court in Banská Bystrica has ruled on the remand detention of two 15-year-old secondary school pupils from Bratislava, whom police have accused of preparing the particularly serious criminal offence of premeditated murder. According to information from Nový Čas, the intended target of the planned attack was to be their own fellow pupil.
On Friday evening, an armed escort brought both young men to court in handcuffs. They were accompanied by masked officers with rifles. Police have not commented on the case in detail so far, with the precise circumstances and motive for the attack remaining undisclosed.
Martina Šemetková, spokeswoman for the Regional Police Directorate in Bratislava, confirmed that the accusation concerns two juvenile persons and the act is at the preparation stage. The prosecutor proposed remand detention for both teenagers, citing the risk of flight and the necessity for preventative custody as reasons.
The hearing, which took place in the presence of the parents of both accused, lasted more than four hours. The court also considered possible guarantees and written undertakings, but these were ultimately not accepted. After partially granting the prosecutor's motion, the judge decided that both minors should be remanded in custody.
Police have so far refused to disclose details of the course of the planned attack or the circumstances uncovered during the investigation.
"Both young men, aged 15, are being prosecuted in continued proceedings with remand detention. It is not currently possible to provide further facts about the case in order not to undermine or jeopardise the purpose of criminal proceedings or investigation," police stated.
Information about the planned attack was first reported by television station JOJ. Police neither confirmed nor denied it, and cited the protection of the investigation.
The defence lawyers of both young men have filed an appeal against the remand decision, which will be ruled on by the Supreme Court. Following the conclusion of the hearing, armed officers took both accused back into custody. No decision on their guilt has yet been made.
Special rules apply in criminal proceedings against minors, and the protection of their privacy is considerably greater than in cases involving adult accused, which is also the reason police disclose only limited information in similar cases.
Source: Nový Čas