A state court in Dessau-Roßlau on Tuesday sentenced the 23-year-old main perpetrator to six and a half years in prison, and his 20-year-old accomplice to four years in prison for attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm. Both will be placed in a reform facility for young offenders.
The young men had attacked a 34-year-old Pakistani man at the end of June last year at a train station, beating and kicking him before leaving him on the train tracks, despite the fact that a train was approaching, according to broadcaster MDR.
After they left, it was only out of luck that the victim was not more seriously injured by the oncoming train. The man managed to move himself, but was still hit by the buffer of the railcar, which broke his shoulder.
The court found that the pair had been motivated by xenophobic hatred, and that they had accepted that the victim could die due to their actions.
The 20-year-old confessed to the crime, but also blamed his companion.
MDR reported that the two perpetrators were previously known to police for other crimes, including politically motivated violence.
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