The man was sentenced by Södertälje District Court to one and a half years in prison for aggravated manslaughter, public danger and negligence and a violation of the Act on Flammable and Explosive Goods.
The powerful firework was reportedly placed upside down in the tube that was used and was not launched into the air, but instead exploded on the ground.
The piece was intended for professional use and required special training and permission, which the man, who is in his 30s, did not have. Södertälje District Court took into account, in particular, that the man did not maintain a sufficient safety distance. People around him were only 6–10 meters away, while industry practice is around 50 meters.
The man states in his appeal that he did not know that the piece required a permit and he denies that he placed it in the wrong direction. He also claims that he urged people to keep a significant distance.
