Judge dashes German child killer's hopes

A child killer’s hopes of a reduced sentence because a confession was forced out of him were dashed by German judges today.

Law student Magnus Gaefgen, who admitted kidnapping and murdering the 11-year-old son of a prominent German banker, was sentenced to life in prison.

Citing the severity of the crime, the state court said Gaefgen, 28, would be eligible for parole only after 18 years – instead of the customary 15.

Gaefge described to the Frankfurt court how he lured Jakob von Metzler to his apartment, suffocated him by taping his mouth and nose shut, then wrapped the body in plastic bags and stuffed it under a dock beside a lake.

His lawyer Ulrich Endres sought for him to be eligible for parole after 15 years while prosecutors have argued for eligibility only after 18 years .

Frankfurt police admitted they threatened Gaefgen with ”intense pain” to obtain a confession during initial questioning three days after von Metzler’s disappearance.

They defended the tactic, saying they hoped they could still find the boy alive.

Prosecutors are investigating possible charges of unconstitutional activity against deputy police chief Wolfgang Daschner, who led the investigation.

Judge Hans Bachl threw out the confession when the trial opened, although Gaefgen admitted the crime during proceedings.

Nonetheless, his lawyer argued the police tactics should be taken into account during sentencing and has threatened to challenge a severe sentence in the nation’s constitutional court.

Gaefgen was arrested after Frankfurt police saw him picking up a ransom, paid by the boy’s father, Friedrich von Metzler.