12 and 15 years old

Shared flat supervisor allegedly abused two boys

The 50-year-old trained social pedagogue is put on trial in Landl, Vienna.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Zwefo, APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH, Krone KREATIV)

The accusations against a 50-year-old man are serious: as a caretaker in a shared flat for problem youths, he is alleged to have abused two boys. While the public prosecutor's office in Vienna alleges sexual abuse of minors, defenceless persons and also of the relationship of authority, the defence speaks of pathological oversexualization by one of the victims.

A supervisor of a shared flat for young people is said to have abused one of his then 15-year-old protégés fourteen times. Once also on a twelve-year-old boy. This is what the Vienna public prosecutor's office accuses the 50-year-old, who has been working at the facility since 2016. 

"He wanted a girlfriend"
Born in Brazil, he came to Austria to complete the socio-educational school here. In the shared flat, he acted as a reference person for young people with problems. Also for the then 15-year-old. "He was under enormous sexual pressure during puberty. He wanted a girlfriend so much and wanted to have his first sexual experiences," said the prosecutor, emphasizing that the boy had often talked about this with the caregiver. 

The boy confided in the discussion group
The Viennese is said to have performed sexual acts on the youngster several times. "The boy wanted to try himself out somehow. So he just went along with it," explained the public prosecutor. The 15-year-old finally talked about his first intimate "experiences" in a discussion in the shared flat - and charges were filed.

In the investigation proceedings, there was ultimately also talk of a second victim - the twelve-year-old. In a contradictory interrogation, they confirmed that the accused had touched them and carried out sexual acts ...

We have an extremely good relationship with the young people in the shared flat.

Der Angeklagte (50) streitet sexuelle Kontakte ab.

For the 50-year-old's defense lawyer, this was not meaningful. Especially as the 15-year-old had only been in a psychiatric institution shortly before the allegations arose. It had been established there that he was suffering from delusions and perceptual disorders. Oversexualization in everyday life was also a known problem of the teenager - a reason for his stay in the shared flat. 

In his testimony before the panel of lay judges, the Viennese man spoke of a "very good relationship" with the young people. There had never been any sexual contact with one or even two of his protégés. Since the allegations arose, he has no longer worked as a social education worker. The trial is adjourned for witnesses.