Prison Sentence for Viennese After Abuse of Eight-Year-Old

On Wednesday, the 33-year-old defendant made far-fetched excuses in a shocking case of cyber-grooming - the manipulation of minors on the internet - before a Vienna jury court. The man confessed, but blamed a mental illness - according to his statements, the 33-year-old has been hearing voices for three years and is schizophrenic - and a pronounced alcohol and drug addiction.

At that time, he consumed vodka, ecstasy, marijuana and cocaine daily. He can't remember many actions. However, he did not seek medical help, only since the summer has he been in treatment and undergoing addiction therapy. In addition, he felt sorry for the child because "she was alone for hours". And further: "She cried on the phone."

Eight-Year-Old Abused Over Chats: 28 Months Imprisonment for Viennese Man

The jury senate, led by Judge Danja Petschniker, imposed an unconditional prison sentence on the previously unblemished academic for general preventive reasons. "You did not make a good impression today. You feel most sorry for yourself," said Petschniker. "I'm not convinced that you have really realized this." The verdict for serious sexual abuse of minors, sexual abuse of minors and production of pictorial child abuse material or pictorial sexually related representations of minors is already legally binding. The man will soon receive a summons to start his sentence, which he must then begin within a month. The 33-year-old must pay the child 5,000 euros in pain and suffering.

The man contacted the eight-year-old on Snapchat at the end of May and began communicating with her on this platform and later via WhatsApp. The defendant posed as a 19-year-old, while the primary school student soon 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. Over the ten days, the two exchanged 400 to 500 messages.

Victim's Brother Reported Chats with "Sam" to Mother

The whole thing blew up when the older brother of the primary school student noticed that she was communicating with a certain "Sam" on Snapchat. He informed the mother on June 9, who took her daughter's mobile phone and inspected 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 report. The suspect was quickly identified through his mobile number.

"I don't have a disease. I'm not attracted to children," the man repeatedly insisted in court today. "I'm attracted to women my age or older." He also chatted with adult women on the side. "What drove me to do it, why I wrote to her, was the biggest mistake of my life," he said about the fact that he had built a "proper relationship" with the child, as Judge Petschniker described it.

"Mistook an Eight-Year-Old for an Adult"

"You mistook an eight-year-old for an adult," also admitted the presiding judge Christoph Bauer. For example, the student told the 33-year-old that she had brought good grades home and he said: "I have such a smart girlfriend," the defendant was quoted from the file. "This is not called schizophrenia, but paedophilia," said Bauer in reference to the mental illness from the schizophrenic spectrum mentioned by the defendant. He could not provide a written diagnosis, nor had he sought medical treatment for the disease. "I'm surprised you're not taking any medication for it, especially since you've been suffering from it for three years."

Meetings between the child and the 33-year-old had already been arranged in the chats. "That wouldn't have happened because I wasn't physically or financially able to." At the time, he had a slipped disc and was immobile. When asked by Judge Bauer how he then got alcohol and drugs, the defendant said he had them delivered to his home. The trial took place in part in the absence of the public.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.