Germany Federal Court upholds life sentence for Kattegat murder

The German Federal Court of Justice has rejected an appeal, making a life sentence for a man convicted of murder in the Kattegat sea final. The ruling confirms the January 2026 verdict from the Berlin Regional Court regarding the death of a 71-year-old man.

The incident occurred on August 1, 2024, off the west coast of Sweden while the two men were returning from a regatta in Norway aboard the trimaran ‘Jolly Rose’. Following a heated argument, the victim fell overboard and remained in the water for approximately one hour before being brought back on board by the defendant and two other sailors.

According to court findings, the dispute continued on the vessel, leading the victim to flee into the water again. The defendant jumped in unnoticed, approached the exhausted victim from behind, and held him underwater until he drowned. The court classified the act as insidious murder because the victim could not expect the attack and was unable to defend himself.