Court of Appeal raises stabbing sentence to five years
Friday 18th September 2026 on 11:01 in
Iceland
Iceland’s Court of Appeal has increased David Gabríel Glascorsson’s sentence from three to five years for attempted murder, mbl.is reports.
Glascorsson was convicted by Reykjavík District Court of attempting to kill a man by attacking and stabbing him in the abdomen during the night leading into Sunday, June 13, 2021. The victim suffered extensive and life-threatening injuries to abdominal organs and the abdominal aorta.
The victim said he had been carrying a knife but did not take it out until after he had been stabbed, after which he threw it away. Glascorsson admitted causing the stab wound but said it was unintentional and that he had been defending himself against an attack.
The Court of Appeal rejected his explanation that the knife had entered the victim’s abdomen by chance. It found that he had intentionally attacked the victim while the two men were facing each other, both armed with knives.
The State Prosecutor referred the case to the Court of Appeal on May 26, 2025, seeking a harsher sentence. The victim also sought three million Icelandic krónur in compensation for non-financial damage.
The court criticised delays in the case. The crime was committed in 2021 and appeared to have been almost fully investigated just over a month later, but the investigation then seems to have stalled for about two years and nine months. Evidence concerning the results of DNA testing was obtained in 2024.
The ruling said no adequate explanation had been given for the delay. There were also delays after the indictment was issued on May 30, 2024, and about nine months passed between Glascorsson’s notice of appeal on May 21, 2025, and the transfer of the case documents to the Court of Appeal on February 5, 2026.
The court described the delay, particularly during the investigation, as blameworthy. However, it said the seriousness of the offence meant that the sentence could not be suspended on that basis.
The Court of Appeal upheld the lower court’s award of two million Icelandic krónur in compensation to the victim. Glascorsson must also pay the full cost of the appeal, amounting to more than 2.4 million krónur.