A former SPÖ city councilor from Middle Upper Austria was sentenced on Wednesday in the regional court of Linz to 14 months in prison and a fine of 3,600 euros for serious extortion and possession of 14 child pornography items. He had pretended to be a 15-year-old on the internet and asked for store receipts so as not to reveal intimate chats.
The suspect – until the start of the investigation in June 2021 with a well-paid job, politically active and for 21 years voluntarily as a swimming coach – was unable to give the judge a definitive explanation for his apparently criminal actions. He knew it was more than “a stupid act” to pretend to be a minor “Nicole” on the Internet. He had made 89 contacts with men in this way. Eleven of the victims are known by name to the court. Using his false identity, he demanded nude photos from everyone, eventually blackmailing the men. When assessing the data carriers, the investigators also found 14 child pornographic objects that the suspect did not handle.
Vouchers extorted
From 2019 to 2021, the suspect had demonstrably extorted 145 vouchers with the intimate chats. Of the total of almost 15,000 euros, the man redeemed coupons for no less than 11,500 euros. The extortion came to light after a victim had turned himself in to the police in the summer of the previous year. Shortly after the allegations became known, the accused resigned from his political office and left the party.
He has since repaid the injured 5,500 euros, the lawyer emphasized the remorse of his client. He undergoes psychological treatment and “works everything up”, as the suspect himself said. He has not yet been able to find a real motive for his actions, except perhaps that after the birth of his child he “wasn’t so important at home anymore,” he said.
Fine and suspended prison sentence
Despite the 45-year-old’s “enormous criminal energy,” the prosecutor also stated, “He’s really trying to find the cause within himself.” The judge assessed the defendant’s integrity, his partial compensation for damages and his remorse as mitigating. punishment. He got off with a fine of 360 daily rates of ten euros and 14 months in prison. The sentence would have been up to ten years in prison.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
