Shortly after conviction

Dog abuser applies for early release from prison

(Bild: Dostal Harald, Krone KREATIV)

The ink has barely dried on the verdict, which has now become final, when the dog abuser from Ansfelden (Upper Austria) applies for early release from prison. Legally, this is very likely, as he has already served two thirds of the "harsh" sentence in pre-trial detention.

On 29 January, a judge at the Linz Regional Court handed down a total of 24 months in prison - eight of which were unconditional - to the 45-year-old, who is said to have kept up to 50 dogs in a house in Ansfelden under devastating circumstances and trained them for dog fights.

There has already been an application for conditional release - a decision on this must be made by an enforcement court. The date is open.

Walter Eichinger, Vizepräsident des Landesgerichts Linz

The defendant was found guilty of drug trafficking, possession of weapons and cruelty to animals. He accepted the sentence immediately, while the public prosecutor asked for time to reflect. The verdict was therefore not final. However, this is now the case. The public prosecutor decided not to appeal as he considered the sentence to be appropriate.

Enforcement court examines application
The 45-year-old will probably not have to serve the eight months of unconditional imprisonment. This is because the 45-year-old's lawyer submitted an application for early, conditional release from prison on Monday. His client had been in custody since the beginning of September and this time will be deducted from his sentence. "Once half or two-thirds of a prison sentence has been served, it can be examined ex officio whether the remainder can be served conditionally," says Walter Eichinger, Vice President of the Linz Regional Court - an examination that is carried out by a specially appointed enforcement court.

Further proceedings imminent
The dog torturer is also facing charges for violating the NS ban. This investigation is being conducted separately, which is why it was not an issue at the trial on January 29. It concerns seized objects with a Nazi connection and relevant tattoos. The results of the investigation are still pending and will determine whether charges can be brought.