Police have apprehended a 34-year-old man from Odesa who attacked a married couple on the street over a mobile phone. The assailant injured both victims, striking the man with a stone and stabbing the woman with a knife. He faces up to 15 years in prison with property confiscation for his actions.
This was reported by the press service of the National Police of Ukraine.
The incident occurred in the Kyiv district of Odesa. The perpetrator asked the couple for a mobile phone to supposedly make a call, and then fled with it. The couple chased after him, but he struck the man in the head with a stone and stabbed the woman in the shoulder with a knife. The man lost consciousness, while his wife called for help from passersby, who contacted the police and an ambulance. Medical personnel provided assistance to the victims and released them home. The man sustained a head injury, and the woman had a stab wound to her shoulder.
Law enforcement officials determined that the crime was committed by a man previously convicted of thefts and robberies. Police seized a knife from his residence, along with other material evidence from the crime scene, which will be sent for forensic examination. The stolen phone was sold by the criminal, and police are currently tracking its whereabouts.
"Based on the collected evidence, we have informed the suspect of the charges regarding the attack with the intent to seize someone else's property, combined with violence dangerous to the health of the victim. This crime is classified under part 4 of article 187 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and is punishable by imprisonment for up to 15 years with property confiscation. At our request, the court has chosen a preventive measure in the form of detention for the suspect," said senior investigator Kateryna Boratynska from the Odesa District Police Department No. 1.
Additionally, a proceeding has been initiated regarding the bodily harm inflicted on the woman under article 125 of the Criminal Code. Depending on the results of forensic examinations and other evidence collected during the pre-trial investigation, the investigators will provide a final legal qualification of the suspect's actions.
