Man gets 7 years in prison for forcing woman to rob bank, showing no remorse

Moshe Shoval, a resident of Haifa, kidnapped a bank employee and threatened her to rob the branch. Shoval then ordered her to detonate a bomb if she did not get what she demanded from the bank. Attorney Yair Goykhman from the Haifa District prosecutor's office commented that this saga could have been taken from a thriller movie.

In his arguments, Goykhman emphasized the severity of the crime and the severe harm caused to the victim who was subjected to the threats and felt a real danger to her life. The prosecution requested the court to impose a severe punishment for all offenses, including actual imprisonment alongside conditional imprisonment and compensation for the victim of the offense.

The judge noted: "In passing the sentence, I considered the defendant's personal circumstances: his advanced age, his clean criminal record, and his admission of guilt... I gave significant weight to his overall medical condition. Along with these, I will note that in his words, it is evident that the accused does not address the seriousness of his actions and is focused on the effect of incarceration on his own condition. The general request for forgiveness 'from those who were hurt' does not show an awareness of the depth of the nightmare this caused the victim and her family."

Justice preserved for the complainant

The court accepted the prosecution's position in full. It emphasized that this verdict would serve as a tool to deter the public from engaging in severe extortion practices that have become a "source of quick and easy income" for many suspects. The court sentenced the main defendant to seven years in prison, two years on probation, and compensation to the victim, the bank employee, for NIS 80,000.