DEN BOSCH - Seven years in prison were demanded yesterday before the court in Den Bosch against 32-year-old Roy H. from Heerlen, who acted as a middleman in the so-called trunk murder.H. was given nine years in prison by the court in Maastricht. But the prosecution decided yesterday that H. deserves a lower sentence than his mother. The 49-year-old Tiny H., who encouraged her son to find someone who could kill drug dealer Ger Douven 51, heard eight years against her on Wednesday in appeal.

The reason for the moderation of the sentence was the interrogation of H. yesterday by the court of appeal and the expert reports that were made about him. These show that at the time of plotting the murder, but actually all his life, H. was in a "boa constrictor-like stranglehold" on his mother. The latter, in turn, strongly resented the fate of her heart friend Rhonda K. 28. K. was being abused by her ex-boyfriend Douven and wanted to "get rid of him. While Tiny H. was unsure on Wednesday in court what exactly those words meant, her son Roy left no room for misunderstanding yesterday: "My mother asked if I knew someone who could get rid of Douven."

Roy H., in his own words, could not say no to a request from his mother, and approached professional soldier Harold R. Who eventually got 15,000 euros from Rhonda to shoot Douven to death. His body was found in the trunk of his burned-out car in the Danikerbos near Puth-Schinnen on March 12, 2003. H. received 1500 euro commission for his mediation, although he himself preferred to consider this amount as repayment for the services he provided to Harold R. in his hemp farm. Roy H. had gotten into financial trouble after lending his mother money for the opening of her beauty salon.

During the criminal case against his mother last Wednesday, Roy H. refused to fulfill his role as a witness a decharge. He invoked his right to privilege. "That may have been the first time you did something in the presence of your mother that she did not like," the presiding judge noted yesterday. Roy H. agreed. Since a year, he said, he has distanced himself from his mother.

The case will be continued on Oct. 12.