Dog attack in Naarn

“Her life was ripped out piece by piece”

Surrounded by cameramen and photographers, the defendant crouched in the jury courtroom.(Bild: Dostal Harald, Krone KREATIV)

Three dogs became murderers: After the tragedy in Naarn, their owner received 15 months in prison, five of them unconditional. The lawyer for the widower and son described their pain and suffering, saying dryly: "The defendant's apology doesn't make it any better." The bereaved were each awarded partial damages of 20,000 euros.

A dozen cameramen and photographers scurried around: the jury courtroom in Linz provincial court was packed to the brim when the Naarn tragedy was heard on Thursday from 1 pm. Everyone was waiting for the defendant. A young judicial trainee was mistaken for her - and immediately snapped a thousand times.

The trial against the dog breeder lasted just half an hour.(Bild: Dostal Harald, Krone KREATIV)

Scurried into the courtroom
The real defendant, accompanied by defense attorney Philipp Wohlmacher, quickly scurried into the courtroom with her head down. Pale, hunched over, her left shoulder raised, she crouched in the middle of the large courtroom. The single judge - who values anonymity - heard the case quickly and confidently, but forgot to activate the microphones. The audience listened spellbound, as some of the statements were barely audible.

Father and son are undergoing psychotherapeutic treatment. Every thoughtless statement throws them back into that emotional scene.

Günther Klepp, der Anwalt der Hinterbliebenen

"She overestimated herself"
The public prosecutor accused the owner of having "overestimated" herself. In fact, she was unable to restrain the three American Staffordshire terriers, which weighed a total of 72 kilograms, or stop them with commands when they mercilessly attacked the jogger Herta A. The dogs named "Cookie", "Peanut" and "Elmo" mauled the woman's head, neck and throat, even biting into skull bones. Body parts were later found in Elmo's stomach. Herta A. died from blood loss and a gas embolism caused by the enormous bite wounds.

The defendant was unable to keep the dogs under control, either physically or through commands.

Die Staatsanwältin in ihrem Eröffnungsvortrag

Defendant recited her spray
The defendant (38), as practiced with her lawyer, recited her line: "I take full responsibility. I tragically failed to keep control of the animals at all times. I cannot undo this misfortune and sincerely apologize. I am infinitely sorry." She did not want to answer any questions.

In between, there was a rather bizarre appearance by the woman's lawyer, who argued that the two remaining Amstaff, who are now in new places, should not also be confiscated by the authorities and possibly killed.

"Elmo" was put to sleep(Bild: zVg)

Günther Klepp, lawyer for the widower of the jogger and his son, said: "What none of us can or want to imagine is the immeasurable agony the victim had to go through lying on the ground as her life was ripped out of her body piece by piece. And no one wants to imagine the suffering of the bereaved either."

Final verdict after 35 minutes
After 35 minutes, the final verdict was clear: 15 months, five of which were unconditional for gross negligence manslaughter. The sentence would have been up to three years. The widower and son were each awarded 20,000 euros in partial compensation for pain and suffering. They require ongoing psychotherapy. The owner is in a psychiatric ward.