Court increases controversial businessman’s hit-and-run sentence to four and a half years

In an appeal hearing, a Prague court has increased Roman Janoušek’s jail sentence for grievous bodily harm to four and a half years. In April the controversial businessman had been sentenced to three years in connection with an incident in 2012 in which he knocked down another driver with whom he had become involved in an altercation. He fled the scene and later failed a breathalyzer test. Tuesday’s verdict cannot be appealed. The hit-and-run came days after a newspaper published transcriptions of wiretaps giving the impression that Janoušek held strong influence over politicians and officials in Prague.

Author: Ian Willoughby