Tenor receives 10 years for attempted murder of baritone

The District Court of Plzeň has convicted 42-year-old opera tenor Robert Šícho to 10 years imprisonment for the attempted murder of a colleague. The court heard that on November 28 of 2008, under the pretext of a concert together, Mr Šícho had been driving his would-be victim, also an opera singer, to the western town of Mariánské Lázně, when he pulled the rented vehicle over and attempted to strangle him with a chord. The victim was able to release himself and telephone the police. Mr Šícho has maintained his innocence throughout, and intends to appeal the decision.