Child Abuse Material Shared in Chat Group: Verdict for 37-Year-Old Viennese

He had shared pictures and videos in a chat group with 627 members. During a house search, nearly 1,300 prohibited files were discovered on several data carriers.

The previously unblemished defendant confessed comprehensively. "I am consumed with remorse and shame," he said. He described himself as "introverted and shy" and said he had "led a secluded life". Apart from a long-distance relationship with a woman, he had no sexual experiences and discovered the internet as a "part of sexuality": "It was a curiosity. It fascinated me. I knew it was something bad." Only the house search had dramatically brought this home to him: "That was a defining experience. Before that, everything was fictional."

The psychiatric expert Peter Hofmann diagnosed the defendant with a paedosexual inclination, which mainly focused on interactions of mothers with children. In the event of a conviction according to § 21 paragraph 2 StGB, he advocated for placement in a forensic-therapeutic centre, as otherwise there was a risk that the 37-year-old could commit further crimes. Under certain conditions, a conditional suspension of this measure would be possible, Hofmann said.

14 Months Probation and Conditional Commitment

In the end, the 37-year-old was sentenced to 14 months probation and committed to a correctional facility based on the expert's statements. The latter was conditionally followed by the Senate, with the man being instructed to continue therapy at the men's counselling centre to fight against his inclination.

(APA/Red)

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