A 55-year-old hospital pastor has been jailed for seven years and sentenced to psychiatric prison for killing his male partner with an axe.

Frank J, from the town of Ubbergen in the east of the Netherlands, was found guilty of killing his 56-year-old partner, also a clergyman, in September last year.

Dick Piersma was found by police in a pool of blood in the couple’s home after J had alerted the authorities.

>

The court, which described the crime as shocking, said  J was suffering from serious depression when he carried out the crime and was not fully responsible for his actions. Although experts had recommended against committing J to a psychiatric prison, the court ruled there is a risk of him re-offending and so he should be treated.