Construction Worker Sentenced for Attempted Murder in Wage Dispute

A construction worker in Sollentuna was sentenced for attempting to murder his boss over a salary dispute.

Key Points

  • • A construction worker attacked his boss with a knife during a salary dispute.
  • • The worker received a nine-year prison sentence for attempted murder and assault.
  • • The victim survived due to wearing a thick jacket during the attack.
  • • Claims of self-defense were made, but the court found otherwise.

In a disturbing incident in Sollentuna, Sweden, a construction worker has been sentenced to nine years in prison for attempting to murder his boss during a salary dispute. The altercation erupted when the worker accused his boss of delaying wage payments. The boss countered that the worker had been overpaid and demanded a refund. The tension escalated to violence when the worker brandished a utility knife, stabbing his boss multiple times, including in the forehead, shoulder, and back.

Remarkably, the boss survived the attack, largely due to a thick jacket that mitigated some of the injuries. He described the experience as feeling like his body was 'on fire' and managed to drive himself to the emergency room despite severe bleeding. A trainee who tried to intervene sustained injuries as well. Interestingly, prior to the incident, the boss regarded the worker, whom he had known for three years, as 'very nice' and hadn't observed any hostility. In contrast, the worker claimed he was acting in self-defense against an assault from his boss with a drill.

In June, a lower court convicted the worker of attempted murder and assault and sentenced him to nine years in prison, along with deportation. This sentence was later confirmed by an appeals court, affirming the gravity of the situation fueled by their wage-related conflict.