Sentence confirmed in Upper Austria

18 years in prison for attempted murder of internet girlfriend

A 27-year-old man who attacked his former internet girlfriend in Regau in October 2023 and seriously injured her with a knife has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for attempted murder. The Linz Higher Regional Court (OLG) confirmed the verdict of the Wels Regional Court at the appeal hearing on Monday. The man had already lost his appeal for annulment at the Supreme Court.

The native Israeli from Munich had unexpectedly visited his internet acquaintance at her home on October 17 of the previous year. He held her in the apartment for three hours and threatened her with a knife. When the accused then went with the woman to a wooded area, he seriously injured his victim with a deep cut to the neck. The woman had to be operated on.

Accident during escape
The fugitive suspect was only discovered in the course of a manhunt one day after the crime and arrested after a car accident. Before his arrest, he inflicted a cut on himself with suicidal intent.

"Clearly in need of correction"
During the hearing at the Higher Regional Court, the senior public prosecutor demanded a stricter punishment and found that the first-instance verdict was "clearly in need of correction, as in my view there was an exceptionally high level of violence". He spoke of an insidious, cruel act. He also stated that there was no remorseful confession, justifying the prosecution's appeal.

Taciturn defendant
The defense lawyer complained that his client's problematic background had not been taken into account in the verdict, which is why the defendant had also appealed. He was taciturn on Tuesday: "My lawyer has said everything, I have nothing to say." In the trial at first instance, he had denied any intention to kill.

Verdict remained the same
Neither the aggravating nor mitigating circumstances presented persuaded the Higher Regional Court to change the sentence. It had been imposed by the Wels Regional Court "commensurate with the crime and guilt".