German court sentences man to life for Munich car attack

A German court has sentenced Farhad N. to life in prison for murder and attempted murder over a deadly car attack on a Verdi trade union demonstration in Munich.

A 37-year-old mother and her two-year-old child were killed in the February 2025 attack, while more than 40 people were injured.

What did the court decide about the Munich attack

The Higher Regional Court in the Bavarian capital also found that the 25-year-old Afghan national bore a particularly serious degree of guilt, making an early release less likely.

The court found that N. deliberately drove into the demonstration from behind.

Presiding judge Michael Höhne described the scene as "a scene of devastation" stretching 12 meters (about 40 feet) across and 23 meters long.

The court convicted N. of two counts of murder and 23 counts of attempted murder, one more attempted murder count than federal prosecutors had sought.

He was also convicted of 19 counts of dangerous bodily harm and three counts of intentional bodily harm.

The sentence matched the demand from federal prosecutors.

The defense had called for a 15-year prison term and for N. to be placed in psychiatric care.

Prosecutors said the attack appeared to have been driven by a complex mix of motives, including religious and political factors, loneliness and diffuse fears.

N. did not explain his motive during the trial.