Dutch court sentences Spartak Moscow player
Spartak Moscow’s former Dutch international footballer Quincy Promes was sentenced to 18 months in prison by a court in his home country on Monday, after he was found to have stabbed his cousin in the knee during a disagreement at a family event in 2020.
Promes, 31, who has 50 international caps, was initially arrested in December 2020 following the incident which occurred the previous July. He was released from custody shortly afterwards as prosecutors launched an investigation. Promes was found guilty of assault in absentia on Monday after the Dutch court rejected accusations of murder or manslaughter. The footballer's sentence would have been six months lighter had he expressed remorse for his actions, the court added.
In addition to being issued with a custodial sentence of 18 months, the court ruled that Promes must pay damages of €7,000 ($7,600) to the victim. The incident, reports indicate, arose from a disagreement about a stolen necklace.
Promes presently lives in Moscow and it is unclear if he will return to the Netherlands. The judge in the hearing was heavily critical of Promes’ decision to not attend the trial. Dutch broadcaster RTL reported that the footballer’s legal team intends to appeal the verdict. Russia and the Netherlands do not have any extradition arrangements.
Promes faces separate legal jeopardy related to May charges from Dutch prosecutors for alleged involvement in the trafficking of 1,362kg (1.362 metric tons) of cocaine into ports in the Netherlands or Belgium in 2020. He denies the charges, which came following evidence from witnesses and from intercepted phone conversations.
Promes would be immediately arrested on drug trafficking charges if he returns to Europe, or visits a country which has an extradition treaty with the Netherlands.
The former Ajax and Sevilla player has represented Spartak Moscow on more than 200 occasions across two spells with the Russian Premier League side between 2014 to 2018, and from 2021 onwards. The Dutchman was named as the Russian top flight’s Fans’ Player of the Year five years ago, while also winning the league’s Golden Boot award.
He has also claimed the Russian Premier League title, as well as the Russian Super Cup, during his time in Moscow. His international football career ended in late 2021 after it was confirmed he would face charges for stabbing his family member.
