Animal cruelty trial

Ötztal “pigsty”: defense lawyer wants a turnaround

The evacuation of the barn ended the suffering of the animals.(Bild: ZOOM.TIROL, Krone KREATIV)

A Tyrolean farmer (46) is alleged to have kept a large number of animals in deplorable conditions. The continuation of the trial for animal cruelty has been abandoned for the time being. But the defense played another card.

An alternate juror had canceled on Sunday evening at short notice because he did not feel mentally up to the animal cruelty trial. In addition, one of the main jurors did not show up without an excuse. "Now we have the worst possible situation," groaned Judge Andreas Mair, chairman of the jury senate.

Now we have the worst possible situation.

Richter Andreas Mair zum Nicht-Erscheinen eines Geschworenen

Witnesses and blogger Markus Wilhelm, who got the ball rolling with others at the time, appeared in vain at the Innsbruck Regional Court.

Unworthy conditions for animals for a long time 
Between July and August 2022, the first defendant is said to have kept around fifteen chickens in a completely unsuitable barn. In September, he allegedly failed to muck out the stalls of four cattle. His goats were no better off either: according to the indictment, they were simply left on the mountain pasture after the onset of winter.

Among other things, the farmer kept chickens in an unsuitable barn.(Bild: zVg)

In short: it was allegedly a real "pigsty" in the Ötztal. The barn was cleared on January 13, 2023. But before that, the official veterinarian (53) is said to have left it too long with fruitless admonitions - abuse of authority and contribution to animal cruelty?

Request for a psychiatric report
Despite being adjourned, the case then took a turn for the worse: the defense lawyer requested a psychiatric report for the first defendant. She suggested that he might have been very impaired or not sane at all during the time of the crime. Continuation with a full panel of lay judges.