Ex-Girlfriend Stabbed in Linz: 25-Year-Old Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison

After the attack in the car, the woman was able to escape and dragged herself into a multi-family house, where she collapsed. Witnesses provided first aid and called for rescue. The defendant pleaded guilty in court.

All jurors quickly agreed that the man should be found guilty as charged. The judge justified the 17-year prison sentence with the severity of the crime, the defendant's remorseful confession and his unblemished record both in Austria and in his home country Serbia were considered mitigating factors. The defense attorney announced an appeal against the high sentence, the prosecutor did not make a statement.

The alleged perpetrator, who was also charged with dangerous threat to the 22-year-old, had inflicted stab wounds on himself after the attack. According to the police, he allowed himself to be arrested without resistance due to his injuries, he has been in custody ever since.

The defendant and the victim had been together since their youth in their home country Serbia, but the cohabitation was not "frictionless". According to the prosecutor, a "break" occurred in 2023, both entered new relationships. The later victim left her home country and moved to Linz. But the contact with her ex did not break off, the suspect repeatedly sought proximity to the woman, for this he also traveled to Linz at the end of August last year.

Disturbing Video Two Days Before Knife Attack in Linz

Two days before the knife attack he was with her. Videos were made in which he hinted at cutting the young woman's throat and twisting her head. Afterwards, as he admitted himself, she threw him out of the apartment. She was "very disturbed" by all this, the woman said in her witness statement, for which the defendant was led out of the room.

For the prosecutor, it was already clear from the incident that it was "anchored in the defendant's mind to kill the woman". "With premeditation" he took a kitchen knife to the meeting in the car two days later, "to make a decisive move if not everything goes according to his plans", the prosecutor explained. "At least six times he forcefully stabbed the woman."

Woman's Life Could Only Be Saved with Emergency Surgery

The injured woman managed to escape from the car into a house entrance. Her life could be "saved only by an emergency operation". The 22-year-old joined the criminal proceedings as a private participant with a partial compensation of around 9,250 euros (including treatment costs), which the judge also awarded her in the verdict. She is currently still in psychological counselling, suffering from panic attacks and having sleep problems. She is still on sick leave, showing the court her numerous scars.

The suspect is said to have pursued her after the attack, pounding on the closed door with his fists and threatening to kill her. Then he inflicted four to five stabs on himself.

The defender stated after the prosecutor's remarks that his client had "not tried to downplay the act" from the beginning. But, he pointed out to the jurors, there is now "a young man who deeply regrets his act" in front of them. "He only saw black and acted in the heat of the moment." The lawyer asked for "perspective" in case of a guilty verdict, because one should not "give up on people".

Defendant in Linz with Memory Gaps

The 25-year-old pleaded guilty to both charges: "I am very sorry." When asked by the judge whether he wanted to kill the woman with the knife, he replied: "I just wanted to scare her." Before the detention and legal protection judge, he had said he wanted to kill the woman and himself, the judge confronted him with the statement. In court, the defendant could no longer remember this.

In Austria, women who experience violence can find help and information at the Women's Helpline: 0800-222-555, www.frauenhelpline.at; at the Autonomous Austrian Women's Shelters (AÖF) at www.aoef.at; at the Women's Shelter Emergency Call at 057722 and the Austrian Violence Protection Centres: 0800/700-217; Police Emergency Call: 133 and in Upper Austria at the Autonomous Women's Centre - Women's Emergency Call OÖ at 0732/602200.

Help offers for people with suicidal thoughts and their relatives are provided by the Suicide Prevention Portal of the Ministry of Health. At www.suizid-praevention.gv.at you can find contact details of help facilities in Austria. Information for young people is available at www.bittelebe.at

(APA/Red)

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