Curious trial

Dispute between neighbors: senior citizen (86) pulled out a knife

Salzburg courthouse, seat of the regional court(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

A noisy washing machine triggered a conflict between retired neighbors. The quarrel degenerated in the shared stairwell and has now ended in a criminal trial at Salzburg Provincial Court.

The defendant appears slight and frail, he also has poor hearing and eyesight and sometimes mumbles to himself. But the public prosecutor is certain at the trial on Wednesday: the retired 86-year-old deliberately wanted to seriously injure his neighbor (78) with a knife. He shows the jury the weapon: a blade extends at the push of a button. "He used it to try to stab the victim in the stomach," the public prosecutor quotes from the indictment. The senior is also said to have uttered clear words to his neighbor: "If you don't shut up, I'll stab you."

A fight broke out in the stairwell over a knife
The defense lawyer counters. The senior citizen only confessed to threatening, explains the lawyer and reveals the background to the neighborly spat: noise. "The neighbors felt disturbed by a washing machine. That's why they've already called the police." This conflict over the noise of a washing machine culminated in a fight in the shared stairwell - which happened on October 11, 2023. "I didn't start it," defends the accused senior citizen and says: "He showed me his fists and wouldn't let me pass. That's when I pulled my snack knife out of my trouser pocket."

And stabbed him? "I would never have done that, it was just a threat, nothing more." The judge shows the sweater the victim was wearing that day. Two holes can be seen in it. "So I didn't do anything," said the 86-year-old.

The victim's statement provided more clarity: "Our relationship was excellent until the defendant met a new woman. Since the woman arrived, there has been so much noise in the house. That's why I wanted to confront him and tell him to stop the noise." But the knife made him completely perplexed: "I put him in a headlock and we both fell." And stabbing movements? No, the 78-year-old explains clearly: "He certainly didn't stab me." The holes in his sweater were made when he fell and hit the edge of a metal sheet.

Diversion already legally binding
The judge offered the 86-year-old a diversion for the coercion: Provided nothing more criminal happens for a year, the proceedings will be dropped. This decision is already legally binding.