An Arab resident of Akko was sentenced to 14 years behind bars by the Haifa District Court on Wednesday, 13 Teves 5773 after he held up and stabbed a 60-year-old Seretz-Vishnitz chossid in his tashmishei kedusha store about nine months ago. The court also ordered the defendant to pay 50,000 NIS in compensatory damages to the victim.

The indictment states that on the evening of April 22, 2012 the defendant entered the store on Herzl Street in the city while holding a sharp object in his hand. He used the object to injure the store owner in the head. He then began punching the father of 11 without mercy until the victim began bleeding from his head and face as while the attacker shouted “where’s your money? Where’s the money?”

A customer in the store ran out and starting shouting for assistance, resulting in the bandit fleeing. The beating resulted in the victim sustaining a compressed skull fracture which compelled four days of hospitalization.

The court expressed shock at the level of violence, adding that if not for the events occurring as they did; it could have easily ended in the death of the shopkeeper. The court added the trauma of the event and the physical injury to his head affects the shopkeeper and his family to this very day.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)