Long prison sentences

18-year-olds left a “trail of fear of death” through Graz

The traces of the first, life-threatening attack could be seen at the crime scene for a long time.

(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

In February 2022, two 18-year-old girls from Graz started a fire and attacked three men with knives. One victim suffered 13 cuts and stab wounds. They were convicted a year ago. The ringleader must serve twelve years in prison. Parts of the sentence against her accomplice were overturned. A new trial was held in Graz on Tuesday. The verdict: eleven years plus incarceration, not legally binding.

"If three people had been dead, we shouldn't have been surprised at the way things were done," said public prosecutor Hansjörg Bacher in his summation. "They went out of their way to kill people. And left a trail of fear and fear of death through Graz."

Several final judgments already handed down
The sentences for setting fire to a toilet in an apartment building (Judge Raimund Frei: "People could have died there"), the attempted murder of a student with 13 stab wounds and the serious coercion of passers-by, whom they threatened with knives, have now become final.

The attempted murder with a knife of a cyclist on the River Mur can also no longer be disputed with regard to the first defendant, who was 18 at the time. The sentence of 13 years in prison was reduced to twelve years by the Higher Regional Court. However, the now 20-year-old accomplice, who had also served 13 years, will have to go before the jury again because of this case.

"To be sentenced as a contributory offender"
"The Supreme Court did not like the fact that she was sentenced as a direct perpetrator," explained the public prosecutor. Especially as the accused is only said to have procured the knife for the attack on the cyclist, but did not stab him. "It would be right to convict her again today for the crime of attempted murder, but as a contributory offender."

You committed three massive crimes before that, including 13 stabbings of a victim, and then you want to tell us that you couldn't have known what was going to happen on the Mur?

Richter Raimund Frei

But the pretty 20-year-old suddenly had massive memory lapses in court on Tuesday. "I took so many drugs and many for the first time. I really don't remember," she repeated almost monotonously. In between, she cried a lot and said how sorry she was for everything. "It's practical when I only know what's great for me," said the presiding judge Raimund Frei.

I don't want to offend you, but it seems to me that you only pick out the things you want to remember.

Staatsanwalt Hansjörg Bacher

"I didn't expect this"
"You helped her look for a new victim and you supported her in the crime and gave her the knife," Frei emphasized. "No, I didn't know what she was up to. I didn't expect anything like this," cried the accused. The presiding judge Verena Oswald does not want to accept this responsibility: "You had already tried to kill someone together before and you want to make us believe that you didn't expect something like this an hour later? Who is supposed to believe you ..."

Eleven years in prison plus incarceration
But the 20-year-old, who caught up on her secondary school leaving certificate while in custody and wants to become a beautician, sticks to her memory lapses. The jury's verdict was unanimous in the evening: Eleven years in prison plus (the same as for her accomplice) committal to a forensic-therapeutic center for dangerousness; not final.