Ex-husband accused:

“For 7000 euros, I’ll have you cleaned up!”

Divorces rarely take place without aggression.(Bild: stock.adobe.com - itakdalee)

"A typical Styrian divorce case", the defense lawyer tries to joke in court in Graz on Tuesday. But the ex-wife of the accused Styrian is in no mood for jokes. She is very afraid, afraid of her former husband, who obviously had his problems with the separation. Damage to property and dangerous threats against her and her "new man" are in the air. But there is no proof. 

"I understand that it hurts him and that he is hurt," sighs the ex-wife in court. "And I never wanted to go to the police. I always wanted to sort it out with him in peace." But at some point, "the incidents", as she says, became too much and her friends advised her to at least mention it to the police.

"He would have beaten me to death"
Especially when the accused threatened his ex-wife's new boyfriend. "Thank God there was a car between us," the partner told Judge Andreas Rom. "If he had caught me, he would probably have beaten me to death." But he also shows understanding for the defendant. "I understand that he snapped, it was about his wife. And he always said that no one else would get her."

And he obviously didn't want his wife to get the car he had given her. "I was so happy back then," she says. But the joy was severely dampened last year, as the BMW was repeatedly tampered with, including last November. The wiring harness was cut and plugs and sensors in the engine compartment were damaged. The dashcam (car camera), which the woman had installed after the previous damage, was gone. Presumably to destroy evidence.

I have a girlfriend and a new life. I don't want to have anything more to do with them anyway.

Der Angeklagte in Bezug auf seine Ex-Frau und deren neuen Freund

Keys for "ex's" car copied
"It wasn't me," emphasizes the ex-husband. "I don't break my own car." In terms of time, however, it would have worked out well, from his home to the car. And: "You once made up a key for the vehicle," Richter Rom reminds the mechanic. "But only because I wanted to get documents from the car that she didn't give me." His ex-wife knows nothing about such documents. "I only have his vaccination certificate."

The 44-year-old has more or less confessed to threatening his opponent. "But that was just a reflex. It wasn't pleasant to find out that he was the new guy. We had been together for 23 years. I cried wolf, but didn't touch him."

BMW is a total loss
He denies that he threatened to have his ex "cleared away" for 7,000 euros. And she can't remember the exact wording either: "So much just happened." Since the complaint, however, things have been quiet, and because the car is a total loss, she believes that he can't really do anything to her anymore.

Maybe he thinks that if I'm no longer there, he won't have to give me anything.

Die Ex-Frau fürchtet das Aufteilungsverfahren im Scheidungskrieg

But the fear runs very deep. Also because of the upcoming division proceedings. "Maybe he thinks that if I'm no longer there, he won't have to give me anything either," she says in a low voice. "I don't know what's going on in his head." It's all weighing heavily on her. "I cry a lot already."

Fined for making threats
"I won't say anything about the Punch and Judy show", the accused is not aware of any guilt until the end. "I'm innocent." The judge finally sentenced him to a 2700 euro fine for making a dangerous threat. He was acquitted for the car and for threatening his "ex". "Even if it stinks, we can't prove it."

However, the judge does not want to see the defendant again. "I have a girlfriend and a new life. I don't want to have anything more to do with them anyway," says the defendant and accepts the verdict. As public prosecutor Gertraud Pichler also agrees, the verdict is legally binding.