Fractures and sepsis

Viennese pensioners tortured: seven years in prison

(Bild: Martin Jöchl, Krone KREATIV)

Nobody wants to have done it. But the fact is that a pensioner was found seriously injured, even life-threatening, on the street. This is said to have been preceded by real torture: he had to eat cat excrement and was also abused. Even though a Viennese couple denied any guilt, the jury did not believe them for the second time.

It must have been unbelievable torture that a 64-year-old man had to endure on 26 January 2020. The Viennese man was found slumped on the street with countless fractures - cheekbone, cervical vertebrae, sternum, ribs and thoracic vertebrae. The worst injuries only became apparent during emergency medical treatment: Multiple organ failure was imminent following sepsis, and his rectum had been punctured.

Wiener is said to have experienced unspeakable torture
Who is responsible for these terrible injuries? A man and a woman - the son of a close friend of the victim and his partner - are in the dock at the Vienna Regional Court. For years, they are said to have financially exploited the 64-year-old, who was actually in need of protection - he received a 2000 euro pension, the defendants social welfare.

Lawyer Wolfgang Haas represents the second defendant.

(Bild: Andreas Schiel)

This torture then occurred during a discussion in the good friend's apartment. The public prosecutor described the acts of violence in full: they hit him on the back several times with a whetstone, beat him severely and kicked him. The mentally impaired man had to eat cat excrement and drink urine. After the accused (44) allegedly abused the victim with a bamboo stick, the man fell unconscious. They did not let him leave the apartment until the afternoon.

Long prison sentences at the first trial
Last July, the first defendant from Vienna was sentenced to seven years in prison for rape and grievous bodily harm with intent. His partner was sentenced to three years in prison for, among other things, grievous bodily harm and coercion. These sentences were overturned by the Supreme Court. The testimony of the 44-year-old's mother was used despite the right of exoneration.

My mother is a different caliber. She likes to play innocent and implicate others.

44-Jähriger beschuldigt seine eigene Mutter

But she also seems to be a key figure in the new trial: The name Monika W. keeps coming up, as the defendants are shifting the blame onto the victim's close friend. "My mother is a different caliber. She likes to act innocent and implicate others", the 44-year-old is convinced that the injuries came from her.

Because the 59-year-old would not have treated the victim well either. He himself and his adult representative reported beatings and bruises ... However, she is only a witness in the trial, has also apologized for the hearing and stated in advance that she would not testify anyway.

This story is so brutal, violent and lacking in empathy. It goes beyond the norm. In fact, it can only be described as torture.

Frau Rat bei der Urteilsverkündung

However, the panel of lay judges does not believe that the mother is also responsible for the torture of her allegedly good friend: the 44-year-old is found guilty in line with the indictment and receives a further seven years in prison - so the sentence remains the same for him in the second trial. The situation was different for a younger partner. She was only sentenced to three months probation for permanent deprivation of property - she had taken the victim's cell phone and cut up the SIM card. Not legally binding.