Prison Sentence After Rape of 17-Year-Old in Vienna

The 17-year-old was on her way home from an event when she was approached by a man around 4:00 a.m. and engaged in conversation. After she declined his question of whether she wanted to have sexual intercourse with him, he became violent and forced his will upon her with violence.

Verdict after rape not final: Prosecutor announced appeal

According to the indictment, he put the 17-year-old in a headlock, strangled her, and dragged her across the street behind a parked vehicle. There, he forced the girl to the ground and threatened to kill her several times if she resisted or called for help. He then covered her mouth and assaulted the girl.

"She is not lying," said the previously unblemished man, who came to Austria in 2015 and had generally integrated. He was regularly employed in the hospitality industry until his arrest. Due to his good German skills, he did not need an interpreter at the trial. The Afghan claimed he "could not really remember the incidents." He was under the influence of cocaine at the time: "It makes me aggressive."

The statements of the 17-year-old, who was interrogated contradictorily during the investigation and therefore did not have to testify as a witness in court, were discussed behind closed doors. She was awarded 5,000 euros in compensation for pain and suffering. The verdict is not final. Defense attorney Daniel Strauss requested time to consider, and the prosecutor announced an appeal against the sentence.

The jury had a sentencing range of five to 15 years available, as a particularly degrading approach was assumed for the accused. He had filmed parts of the abuse with his mobile phone.

Arrest thanks to surveillance camera

He approached his later victim in the area of Wieningerplatz. "She had the feeling he needed to talk and listened to him," the prosecutor described. At a vending machine, the man bought the 17-year-old a cola. When he became intrusive, she made it clear to him with the words "Don't touch me" that "she didn't want that," said the prosecutor. The accused then overpowered the girl.

The 27-year-old was identified through images recorded by a surveillance camera attached to the vending machine. Investigators from the Vienna State Criminal Police Office evaluated these, and in one, the 17-year-old clearly recognized her tormentor. The man was able to be arrested on May 8.

(APA/Red)

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