AMSTERDAM – The killer who fatally slashed and stabbed a British tourist dozens of times in the face and neck in Amsterdam has been jailed.
The 24-year-old man accused in the 2022 stabbing of Danny Castledine was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 14 years in prison on Friday.
Details of the Extreme Violence
Belgian suspect Nongo B. unleashed an ‘extreme outburst of violence’ when he attacked Castledine, and left him to die on a darkened stairwell in the centre of the city, the District Court of Amsterdam said, according to the NL Times.
‘The suspect took the life of the [victim], who was spending an evening as a tourist in the city centre of Amsterdam, in a very violent manner by stabbing him frequently with a knife, or at least a sharp object. [The victim] had a total of 30 stab injuries and 13 cutting injuries, mainly in his head and neck,’ the court ruled.
‘After this extreme outburst of violence, the suspect dragged [the victim] to a staircase that led down to a basement and left him there for dead, with his head down and bleeding profusely, without calling for help.’
The sentence matched the verdict the Public Prosecution Service (OM) recommended.
Weekend Trip Went Wrong
Castledine, a student at Leeds Beckett University, met a tragic end on June 1, 2022, less than 24 hours after arriving on a weekend trip with his friend in the popular European destination.
He and his friend had parted ways for the evening, the NL Times reports.
The student from Nottinghamshire was found with 30 stab wounds and 14 lacerations, having suffered a violent attack in the early hours of the morning.
Dutch prosecutors had pushed for a harsh sentence for suspect Nongo B., who was allegedly captured in security footage walking with Castledine along the banks of the Singel canal moments before his death.
Evidences From CCTV
Footage revealed by investigators reportedly showed Castledine with Nongo at around 2.12am.
The pair were then captured by CCTV by the Singel some 30 minutes later, where Nongo is said to have carried out a savage attack with a blade.
Castledine’s body was discovered by horrified revellers at around 3.30am, prosecutors said.
Paramedics were called to the scene but were unable to revive the Englishman.
Around 10 hours later, police officers found Nongo B. about five kilometres away in Amsterdam-Zuid, near the intersection of De Boelelaan and Parnassussweg, the publication reported.
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He was taken into custody as he did not have the identification needed.
Police said at the time that he appeared to be disturbed and had consumed a large quantity of drugs, according to the publication.
They also found ‘traces of blood on his clothing and shoes,’ the OM said during the trial. The blood was later matched to Castledine’s.
What Investigation Reveals
During the investigation, police found security footage from 2.12am on June 1 that showed Nongo B. and the victim walking together, and the suspect appeared to be sober, the NL Times reported.
But footage from another location around half an hour later showed different.
‘The images do not show anything special, but it would turn out to be a fatal encounter. On the Singel, the man attacked the victim out of nowhere. After a short chase, the victim was stabbed 30 times and cut 14 times, mainly on his head and neck,’ the OM said.
Charges Against the Suspect
Nongo B. was also ordered to pay damages of more than 71,000 euros (£61,000), including 20,000 euros (£17,000) each to Castledine’s mother and father, and 17,500 euros (£15,000) to his sister for emotional suffering.
He must also pay the family a further 13,800 euros (£12,000) for the costs of repatriating the victim’s body, and his funeral.
Heartfelt tributes to Castledine poured in during the weeks and months after his death.
The student, who was in his final year at Leeds Beckett University at the time of his death, was described by his devastated family as a travel enthusiast who had explored 23 countries in his lifetime.
