Man convicted of trying to strangle girlfriend thanks to new investigation method

A man in the Zuid-Holland town of Rozenburg has been convicted of attempted manslaughter for trying to strangle his girlfriend after neighbors intervened. He received 360 days in prison, of which 169 days were suspended, plus 150 hours of community service. The ruling marks the first case in which a new Rotterdam method for examining strangulation attempts played a role in the conviction.

The method uses rapid forensic exams with specialized light and a camera that detects hidden injuries in the neck’s skin layers. The Rotterdam Public Prosecution Service confirmed this to NOS after reporting by the AD.

Strangulation attempts rank among the most important red flags for the escalation of partner abuse and can also serve as a precursor to femicide.

A one-year pilot has run in Rotterdam and Amsterdam since Dec. 1, 2025. Under the program, police and Veilig Thuis quickly call in a medical expertise center when they suspect an attempted strangulation. Such injuries often go unrecognized or are spotted too late.

Victims in the pilot are examined with forensic light and a special camera. The camera can look into different layers and depths of the skin. This allows doctors to identify injuries that are not visible on the outside. The injuries are documented, described, and interpreted so they can serve as criminal evidence.

That process was used in this case. In November of last year, neighbors in Rozenburg heard the woman calling for help. She had managed to reach the front door and open it. The neighbors pulled the man off her and called police. Officers then referred the victim to the forensic medical expertise center FARR.

A forensic physician examined her there. The doctor concluded that her injuries and complaints were consistent with a “moderate strangulation.” If the violence had lasted longer, it could have led to her death.

The man was convicted at the beginning of this month. He received exactly the sentence sought by the public prosecutor: 360 days in prison, of which 169 days were suspended, plus 150 hours of community service.

The Public Prosecution Service described the outcome in the AD as “a fine result and an important step.” “It is good to see that the examination by the forensic medical expertise center FARR contributed to a better information position and ensured that this violence could be proven,” the service said.

FARR director Geranda Zeelenberg also called the ruling important. “This case shows that forensic medical examination can contribute to the sentence. It gives a judge additional information to make a sound and appropriate assessment. That is important in these kinds of cases, which often come down to her word against his.”

In April it became known that the Rotterdam pilot had generated far more requests than expected in its first months. FARR had counted on about 200 requests per year. It received 150 in the first three months of the pilot. About 90 percent of the victims examined are women. In 78 percent of the cases there is partner violence.