Dutch linesman killing verdict due

A Dutch court is on Monday to hand down a verdict against a group of teenaged boys and a father accused of kicking to death a linesman, a case that sent shockwaves through the football-mad Netherlands. Amateur league linesman Richard Nieuwenhuizen, 41, was allegedly kicked several times in the head by enraged youth players shortly after a December match, in which one of his sons was playing. He died shortly afterwards in hospital, leading to much soul-searching in the Netherlands where over a million people play amateur football every weekend. Judge Anja van Holten is to hand down her verdict at the Lelystad District Court east of Amsterdam from 1:15 pm (1115 GMT). The seven youth suspects, aged 15 to 17 at the time, and the 51-year-old adult, were charged with manslaughter, public violence and brutality. The court heard testimony in May and June including allegations that Nieuwenhuizen insulted them after the match and that members of the opposing team told them to "come and fight." Individual defendants denied using any violence, although one boy admitted a kick to the linesman's shoulder. The adult suspect said he had only tried to keep players apart, as the court was shown photographs of the brawl taken by spectators. One young suspect exercised his right to silence after Nieuwenhuizen's DNA was found on his football boot. Christopher Milroy, a former chief forensic pathologist in Britain, testified that the victim may have died of other causes, including a spontaneous, near fatal tear in an artery in his neck because of a genetic anomaly. But the Dutch Forensic Institute (NFI) concluded in its report that it was "highly likely that the linesman died of kicks to the head and neck," during the December 2 assault, Dutch media reported. Prosecutors sought six years in jail for the father, identified only as El-Hasan D. for legal reasons, and up to two years' detention for six of the teenagers, who cannot be named as they are minors. The prosecution wanted two years in youth detention units, six months suspended, for five boys aged 16 and 17 at the time, and one year with two months suspended for a 15-year-old. An eighth suspect, aged 15, should serve 30 days in a detention unit, 13 days suspended, because he only hit an opposing player, not the linesman, the prosecution said. The accused are all connected to, or are members of, the Nieuw Sloten football club, which played against Nieuwenhuizen's Buitenboys Club in Almere, just east of Amsterdam, when the attack occurred. Nieuwenhuizen officiated as a linesman in the under-17 match and was set upon immediately after by members of the Nieuw Sloten club. He was allegedly kicked several times in the head but got up and went home. He became ill a few hours later and died the following day in hospital with his family at his side.