The case caused an international stir in January: a man hid in Lower Austria with his wife and six small children in a converted vaulted cellar. When municipal officials wanted to take a look, the 54-year-old attacked them with pepper spray, which is why he was now charged in Korneuburg. Because he and his family emigrated, he did not attend the trial. The representatives of the media got to see him anyway.
The events in a basement street in Obritz in the district of Hollabrunn (Lower Austria) on January 26 resemble a movie scene. A social worker from the local child and youth services and a community worker walk the narrow, slippery walkways between the press houses, hands over painful faces. They are followed by Mr. L., a 54-year-old man who is holding a pepper spray. The two men fall several times while fleeing before the attacker leaves.
Bought and renovated five cellars
The pepper spray attack led to the charges against Mr. L., but the background of the case also attracted international attention in the winter. Because Mr. L. had bought and remodeled five basements in the community. He then hid there with his 40-year-old wife and six children, all under the age of six. The men who were attacked should have checked back then, as it was illegal to live in the cellars.
Pressed the pepper spray trigger several times
‘The door to the Kellergasse was bricked up, as were the windows. A new door has been built on the side, secured with a gate without a door,” the social worker recalls. “We heard children’s voices inside.” They called out the name of the man who had locked himself in the vaulted cellar with the children, who eventually stepped out but vehemently refused to look. Finally, he pressed the pepper spray trigger several times, injuring the officers.
Family would have emigrated
Mr L. did not appear at the hearing. He had emigrated with his family a few weeks ago and the trip “by jet, helicopter and airline” could not be financed, he told the competent judge of the court of Korneuburg. His lawyer Astrid Wagner admits: “My client realizes that he acted excessively. He saw himself in a kind of self-defense situation.”
The convict addresses the media via a video call
His worldview is also reflected in a letter to the judge, in which he keeps addressing one of the two men as “the nose ring wearer with disheveled hair”. He refers to the other as “the stranger”. Mr. Rat declares the formerly impeccable Mr. L. guilty of defiance of state authority and grievous bodily harm – suspended for ten months. After the verdict was announced, the defense lawyer had direct contact with the suspect via text message, who promptly replied that he accepted the verdict. After the hearing, the convict also comments on his conviction in the presence of the journalists via video WhatsApp.
Weapons also safe in the basement
WThe scene ready for filming with the alleged objector to the state continued on January 26: the police and rescue services arrived. Several weapons were secured in the basement, including a crossbow. However, the kids seem to have always been fine. No further proceedings are pending here.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
