Abuse of Eight-Year-Old in Vienna Uncovered: 33-Year-Old Charged

A shocking case of cyber-grooming - where children and teenagers are specifically manipulated on the internet, with the perpetrators aiming at crimes, especially sexual assaults - occurred last spring in Vienna. A man persuaded an eight-year-old girl to photograph and film herself performing sexual acts and send him the material. The suspect - a previously unblemished 33-year-old - could be traced.

Shocking Cyber-Grooming Case in Vienna: Man Pretended to be 19 Years Old

Next Wednesday, the man will have to answer in the regional court for criminal matters for severe sexual abuse of minors, sexual abuse of minors, and production of pictorial child abuse material or pictorial sexually related representations of underage persons. If convicted, he faces up to ten years in prison.

According to the indictment, which is available to the APA, the man contacted the eight-year-old girl at the end of May on Snapchat and began communicating with her on this platform and later via WhatsApp. The defendant pretended to be 19 years old, while the primary school student told him her real age. In the course of chatting, the 33-year-old is said to have initially persuaded the child to send him pictures of her intimate area. Subsequently, he is said to have persuaded the victim to perform sexual acts, with the girl taking photos and videos that she sent to the supposed 19-year-old at his request.

Eight-Year-Old's Brother Informed Mother About Chats with "Sam"

The whole thing was exposed when the older brother of the primary school student noticed that she was communicating on Snapchat with a certain "Sam". He informed the mother on June 9, who took her daughter's mobile phone and checked it. After she had noticed the chat history with "Sam", the mother immediately went to the police, handed over her daughter's phone to the officers and filed a complaint. The suspect was quickly identified via his mobile number.

In his suspect interview, the 33-year-old made no statements to the police. "However, in his statement, he confessed guilt remorsefully and deeply regretted his actions," the prosecutor notes in her indictment. She demands a "punishment appropriate to the crime and guilt" for the defendant.

(APA/Red)

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