Bottle and Sword

Long Prison Terms Following Torture and Rape

The three defendants (ages 20, 21, and 23) have confessed.(Bild: Krone-Collage/Martin A. Jöchl)

Because of a 100-euro drug debt, two victims were forced to endure a true ordeal. The trio now on trial tortured them with bottles, a sword, and a Taser. As a result, the Vienna Regional Court has handed down lengthy prison sentences that are not yet final.

What two young men had to endure on the night of March 1 of last year is difficult to put into words. The prosecutor at the Vienna Regional Court at least attempts to do so: “In the apartment where the crime took place, the victims endured several hours of torment that could hardly have been more humiliating.” And all of this over a paltry 100 euros in drug debt. 

Birthday Party Ends with Debt Collection
“It was the first defendant’s 19th birthday. One might think the conditions for a wonderful evening were perfect,” said the prosecutor. The Austrian, now 20, in particular, then came up with the idea of collecting the outstanding 100 euros. A 23-year-old Serbian man and a 21-year-old man from Vienna went along with it.

They were forced to shock themselves in the genital area with a Taser.

Staatsanwältin spricht von folterähnlichen Vorwürfen

In an act that comes very close to torture: At first, the two victims were “only” beaten and kicked. Then came the first perverse act: “They were forced to shock themselves in the genital area with a Taser,” said the prosecutor. And this was done with a sword held to their throats. The cruel climax: “The victims were raped multiple times by the defendants. They were forced to sit on bottles.”

“The First Defendant Took Pleasure in It”
The prosecutor finds this particularly disturbing: “It gives the impression that the first defendant, in particular, took pleasure in it.” He now faces up to 15 years in prison. The unemployed man already has a prior conviction. “Everything in the indictment is exactly true. What happened here is inexcusable,” announced defense attorney Nikolaus Rast, indicating at least a full confession from his 20-year-old client—who played the leading role in the hours-long ordeal. 

Attorney Nikolaus Rast is defending the main defendant.(Bild: Klemens Groh)

Attorney Sascha Flatz represents the Serbian co-defendant.(Bild: Eva Manhart)

Attorney Ernst Schillhammer is defending the 21-year-old Austrian.(Bild: Anja Richter)

And what did the second and third defendants do? Nothing to help the two victims. Attorney Sascha Flatz—who represents the 23-year-old Serbian—tries to put things into perspective: “He kicked them a little. Then he fell asleep on the couch. He didn’t notice a thing about the incident with the bottle.” Defense attorney Ernst Schillhammer says on behalf of his 21-year-old client: “There certainly would have been many, many appropriate ways to act. Unfortunately, he didn’t choose any of them.”

To protect the victims, the majority of the trial is held behind closed doors—including the testimony of the three defendants. The jury’s verdict, however, is clear: a barrage of non-final prison sentences is handed down. Eleven years in prison for the 20-year-old principal perpetrator; seven years in prison for the 23-year-old Serbian; and six years in prison for the third defendant. “This is an outburst of violence rarely seen,” the presiding judge said, clearly shocked.