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Child Abuse Case: “Gunkl’s” Trial Date Now Set
Viennese cabaret artist Günther Paal, known as “Gunkl,” is accused of sexually abusing a three-year-old girl. The trial date has now been set—the case will be heard on October 22 at the Vienna Regional Court. In a video, the artist said he would “accept any punishment without objection.”
Kronen Zeitung als bevorzugte Google-Quelle hinzufügen Both “Gunkl’s” defense attorney, Florian Höllwarth, and Werner Wendt (Hubert Wagner Law Firm), the legal representative of the two women who are alleged to have blackmailed the cabaret artist, are waiving their right to object to the indictment. The two women, aged 42 and 62, and the artist will be tried together in October.
Three and a half hours
The trial is scheduled to last three and a half hours. This is due, in part, to the fact that all defendants have pleaded guilty. Furthermore, the trial will initially focus exclusively on the sexual abuse charges; the possession of child pornography will be the subject of a separate trial.
As reported, Paal is accused of sexually abusing minors and possessing child abuse material. The little girl’s mother and grandmother are alleged to have been present when “Gunkl” committed the sexual assault in January 2025. At that time, the artist had been in a sexual relationship with the two accused women for more than ten years, part of which was compensated. The two women are also said to have been in love with Paal. Among other things, they testified that they had celebrated birthdays together.
After the assault on the girl, the mother and grandmother are said to have pressured the Viennese man and demanded cash. It is alleged that “Gunkl” was made to fear a physical attack and media exposure. The 64-year-old is said to have handed over a total of 159,000 euros in cash to the women.
Girl in the Care of Child and Youth Services
In May 2026, Paal turned himself in to the police and filed a voluntary self-report. During a search of his home, authorities ultimately seized a computer containing 960 image files and 19 video files depicting minors in sexual contexts. The girl was removed from the family and is now housed in a crisis center; the Vienna Child and Youth Welfare Services has been granted custody.
Those Involved Plan to Plead Guilty
According to their legal representatives, both Paal and the alleged blackmailers will plead guilty before a lay judges’ panel. If convicted, Paal faces a prison sentence of between six months and five years. The severity of the sentence is due to the fact that it has been proven that the child was not raped. The mother and grandmother could be sentenced to one to ten years in prison. Both are currently in pretrial detention. Unlike Paal, they were deemed to pose a flight risk, among other factors.
In the artist’s case, the court argued, among other things, that he had voluntarily consented to a police search and had made himself available for every interrogation. Last year, 224 people were convicted in Austria of sexual abuse of children and adolescents. Sexual abuse refers to sexual acts performed on or with a victim, such as unwanted touching of the genital area.
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