Italian court convicts 4 for deadly Turin soccer stampede

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:34 p.m. ET

ROME (AP) — Four young men have been convicted of the deaths of two women in a soccer stampede in the northern Italian city of Turin and given prison sentences of just over 10 years.

The Italian news agency ANSA said the court on Friday ordered the sentences after convicting the men of involuntary manslaughter.

Prosecutors contended the defendants used an irritating spray to trigger panic so they could steal wallets and phones from fans who had jammed a public square to watch the June 3, 2017, Champions League Juventus-Real Madrid final on a giant TV screen. Some 1,600 people were injured.

An Italian woman died of her injuries several days later, while another woman, left tetraplegic by her injuries, died from complications in January 2019.

ANSA quoted defense lawyers as saying they will appeal the convictions.