A former nurse who got a thrill from deliberately placing patients into cardiac arrest and then trying to resuscitate them has been given a life sentence for 85 counts of murder.
Niels Hoegel was sentenced by the court in Oldenburg in north-western Germany, which noted the “particular seriousness of the crimes” to ensure he serves longer than the standard 15-year term, the Press Association reports.
The killings took place while the 42-year-old was working at two hospitals in north-western Germany from 2000 to 2005.
In all, Hoegel was charged with 100 counts of murder and it was not immediately clear why the court only found him guilty on 85.
In a closing statement at the end of his seven-month trial, Hoegel apologised for the pain and suffering he had caused with his “terrible deeds”.