Dutch hotel employee in Hersonissos, Crete, Cirino Schrijver, who was accused of the violent attack on the 12-year-old Russian boy Nikita, was arrested and transferred to a special detention facility where he will receive psychiatric treatment until his trial.
The 20-year-old allegedly stabbed Nikita twenty times last week after stealing his laptop and mobile phone. He faces court charges of attempted murder.
Shortly after the attack, Schrijver’s mother claimed that her son was autistic and needed special medication and supervision. She has submitted Cirino’s medical file to the Cretan authorities, but it has to be officially translated, as reported in Kathimerini newspaper.
The 20-year-old faced a magistrate in Heraklion, Crete on May 20, but during the 15-minute session the accused declined to cooperate. His court-appointed lawyer said it was not possible for his client to answer any questions.
The attorney apologized for his defendant, stressing the accused suffers from a severe mental disease and that in the Netherlands he had been on medication, but stopped taking the prescribed drugs while in Crete.
According to the lawyer, Schrijver was deemed legally incapable by a Dutch court, adding he hadn’t been able to give a logical answer to a single question and wasn’t authorized to sign any legal papers.
In the meantime, 12-year-old Nikita is still hospitalized in Athens, where he has started physiotherapy. Doctors fear that the boy may not be able to walk again.
The public opinion of both Russia and the Netherlands is following the case closely.
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