Trial in Feldkirch

Early retiree threatened his doctor with death

The 54-year-old early retiree was quite aggressive in court. In the end, however, he admitted to having threatened the doctor - which is why the sentence was not quite as severe.(Bild: Chantall Dorn, Krone KREATIV)

An unruly patient went berserk because his GP refused to write him a prescription. On Wednesday, there was a court case in Feldkirch. Things got heated at times. 

It's not just his GP who knows that the 54-year-old early retiree is not a good person to deal with. The aggressive defendant also left a lasting impression on the Feldkirch regional court. First in the court corridor, then in the courtroom. "Where's the bastard?", he repeatedly asks prosecutor Sarah Nenning during her opening statement.

Whereupon judge Sabrina Tagwercher gives the rude bird a piece of her mind: "Now listen carefully. There are rules of the game here. And you also have to abide by them. If you don't behave normally, I'll have to call the police. Do you understand me now?" The defendant actually shuts up for a moment.

Now listen carefully. There are rules of the game here. And you also have to abide by them. If you don't behave normally, I'll have to call the police.

Die Richterin zum Angeklagten

The prosecutor seizes the opportunity and picks up where she left off - reading out the charges. And that is coercion and damage to property. The accused had threatened to kill his family doctor in mid-February if he refused to prescribe him the substitution medication he needed.

After the doctor then ordered the former drug addict to leave the practice, the 54-year-old is said to have banged on the glass. "That's not true! I'm innocent!" the retiree immediately spoke up. The assistant had loaded the prescription onto his e-card. But when he stood in the pharmacy, there was nothing on it.

Public prosecutor Nenning was interrupted several times by the defendant.(Bild: Chantall Dorn)

So he went back to the practice again. After an argument with the assistant, the doctor joined him. "He made a complete pig of me and claimed that I had tried to extort substitution medication. I said to him: 'You stupid asshole, I'm going to kill you right now!"

Judge: "So then you're guilty, aren't you?" After several hate tirades, the 54-year-old confesses to the crimes, which in the end also mitigates the sentence. The final sentence: a fine of 1440 euros. When asked by Ms. Rat whether he agreed to this, the early retiree replied: "I'm always an asshole anyway!"