German court sentences man who ploughed car into parade to life in prison

BERLIN: A German court sentenced a man to life in prison for ploughing his car into a carnival parade in the western German town of Volkmarsen last year, injuring dozens, including 20 children, tagesschau.de reported on Thursday (Dec 17).

The local man, now 31 years old, was accused of having deliberately steered his car into a large group of people with the intention of killing on Rose Monday, the climax of Germany's carneval season.

Life imprisonment is the most severe sentence possible in Germany. The court in Kassel found the man's guilt to be severe, which means his sentence will not be automatically reviewed for parole after 15 years, tagesschau.de reported.

The court was not immediately available for comment.

Rose Monday is an institution in Catholic areas of Germany, especially in the Rhineland where tens of thousands of people dress up, drink alcohol and line the streets to watch decorated floats that often mock public figures.

Security at public events in Germany has been tightened since a Tunisian man with Islamist militant ties ploughed a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin in 2016, killing 12 people. He was later shot dead by Italian police after fleeing.