Youth jailed for two years for contract killing when aged 16

A 17-year-old youth who shot dead a 56-year-old man in a contract killing has been jailed for the maximum two years to be followed by treatment in a psychiatric clinic. His fellow killer, Jesus T A, who is 21, has been jailed for 20 years.

The public prosecution department had called for the youngster, named in court by the initials N M, to be tried as an adult and jailed for eight years, but the court did not agree. Two years is the maximum jail time for juveniles.

The youngster, who was 16 at the time, fired seven bullets at Itzhad Meiri, who was hit by three of them and died later in hospital. T A organised the killing and acted as driver.

Meiri, who had a criminal conviction for blackmailing business associates, was shot in broad daylight almost a year ago after visiting the dentist. He had been tracked by the killers for some time.

According to news website Nu.nl, the teenager has refused to talk about the case at all, but TA did make a full confession.