Trial postponed

The relationship of authority shamelessly exploited

The 59-year-old defendant denied the charges against him in court.(Bild: Chantal Dorn, Krone KREATIV)

A father of six has been on trial at Feldkirch Regional Court since Friday. He is accused of sexually abusing his own daughter and the niece of his now ex-wife 20 years ago. 

During his interrogation at the Feldkirch Regional Court, the accused repeatedly struggled to hold back tears. "The children were affectionate and I was always a loving dad." Of course, he cuddled with them or let them give him kisses on the cheek or mouth - "just like you do as a parent." However, the twice-divorced man insists that there was never any sexual assault.

However, the public prosecutor's office sees things differently. In its indictment, it mainly relies on the statements of the two victims, who are now adults. According to them, the accused sexually abused his daughter for the first time when she was 13 years old by going under her T-shirt while watching TV and massaging her nipples. Under the pretext that he just wanted to see if she was already getting pubic hair, the accused also touched the pubes of the pubescent girl.

Assaults dismissed as "stupidity"
It was no different for his second wife's niece, who was also a teenager. As with his daughter, he is said to have forced French kisses on the girl, who is a Muslim - "so that you know how to do it later". With sentences such as "Your body is mine, we are flesh and blood", the man is said to have exploited his relationship of authority. And did not even shy away from sexually coercing and abusing the victim in the public swimming pool. When asked about the girls' comments within the family, the 59-year-old managed for a long time to dismiss the assaults as "nonsense".

Lawyer Joachim Matt defends the accused.(Bild: Chantal Dorn)

Trial was adjourned
When he asks the now 31-year-old niece to call him her boyfriend during a visit to McDonald's in 2022, it finally comes to blows. The man is charged.

During the trial, he talks about his violent childhood at the hands of his alcoholic father. Of being beaten with a belt and a log and of being abused by the priest. "But the time in the children's village was good." The trial was adjourned.