- The accused generally disputes numerous alleged offenses.
During the preliminary hearing at the Regional Court of Mönchengladbach for a string of arson incidents in both Mönchengladbach and Viersen, it was revealed that the accused associates himself with only a handful of the alleged crimes.
Defense lawyer Carsten Arts asserted that the statement given to authorities during interrogation could not be presented as evidence. The suspect, aged 26, allegedly was not fully aware of his rights at the time, leading him to confess to all accusations in an unusual circumstance. The police announced immediately following the suspect's arrest in late December the previous year, that the Mönchengladbach man had "completely confessed" to the offenses.
However, this is contradictory to the reality, Arts stressed. "My client acknowledges responsibility for only four of the charged incidents." These specifically refer to the arson attacks committed following the passing of his fellow arsonist companion until December 2023, the lawyer elaborated further outside the courtroom. The prosecution accusations against the 26-year-old state that he is responsible for over 40 fires between July 2022 and December 2023, predominantly with the assistance of a 24-year-old friend from Viersen, who tragically ended his life in October 2023.
"As a show of solidarity towards him, my client chose to shoulder the blame for all incidences during questioning," defendant Arts explained. He declined to comment on whether the accused had any involvement in the other arson incidents.
The 26-year-old, seated with his head down and at times appearing disengaged, listened to the charges present. Spectators noted an unassuming young man, adorned in a white sweater beneath a black shirt, styled with short blonde curls and glasses. The indictments against him include arson and damage to property.
It's reported in legal circles that vanity and a passion for fire might have motivated the acts. Should the accused be found guilty, he is facing several years in prison. The trial will carry on for seven days up until early November, with the continuation of proceedings scheduled for early October.
The defense argued to exclude the confession as evidence at the The Court of First Instance due to the suspect's lack of understanding of his rights during the interrogation. After the arrest, the suspect had initially "completely confessed" to multiple arson incidents, but during the trial, he only acknowledged responsibility for four of the incidents at The Court of First Instance.
