Trial about threat

Hungry attack dog against bailiff

A 40-year-old Tyrolean wanted to prevent an eviction and held out the prospect of a bloody escalation - now the driver was in the dock at Innsbruck Regional Court. During the trial, the bailiff reported frequent threats during his work.

As a bailiff, you have to have a thick skin: "I'm threatened every other time I'm evicted," explained the officer as a witness before the Innsbruck Regional Court. And even expressed a certain amount of understanding: "People are simply under extreme pressure in such situations in life."

To prevent escalation, he usually calls the debtors before the unpleasant appointments and explains the situation to them.

People are simply under extreme pressure in situations like this in life.

Der Gerichtsvollzieher als Zeuge

Hungry dog and explosives as a threat
The result in this case: the accused father of six held out the prospect of a bloody scenario. He would not feed his attack dog for three days before the eviction date and then let it run free when the bailiff came to his premises.

The trial took place at Innsbruck Regional Court.(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

In addition, the dangerous threat is said to have been made that the apartment would be blown up before strangers could carry anything out. As a result, police officers accompanied the court official to the eviction, which once again did not take place and is now scheduled to take place in a week's time.

Often at war with the rule of law
The 40-year-old driver preferred not to appear at the trial. "The defendant has often shown that he does not want to accept the rule of law," said the judge, referring to the Tyrolean's four previous convictions.

In absentia, the man, who was already in personal bankruptcy (debts of 120,000 euros), was sentenced to nine months' conditional imprisonment and a fine of 1440 euros - not legally binding.