A 29-YEAR-OLD Dutchman who killed his mother in a violent psychotic break in Estepona has been sentenced to spend eight years in a psychiatric institution.
A trial in Malaga was scheduled to begin on 16 March, but the defendant pleaded guilty at the last minute, meaning the case was settled without going before a jury.
The incident dates back to 5 December 2022, when the man’s 61-year-old mother arrived from the Netherlands to visit him at a house in Estepona where he was staying with friends.
During a heated argument between the two, and under the influence of a ‘reactive psychotic episode that obliterated his perception of reality,’ the man struck his mother repeatedly on the head with a chest of drawers.
The blows caused multiple traumatic brain injuries that ultimately led to her death.
The homeowner discovered the body the following day, and the man was detained and admitted to the psychiatric unit at the Costa del Sol hospital.
Once he had stabilised after the psychotic episode, he became aware of what had happened.
The court noted that the defendant has since consistently cooperated and made efforts to repair the damage caused, compensating his mother’s sisters and other relatives.
In this case, no civil compensation was awarded because neither party requested it.
The Dutchman will spend eight years in psychiatric confinement.
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