A 23-year-old woman was sentenced to four years in prison on Wednesday for a brutal attack on a woman in her own home near Graz. Originally eight men were charged, but after several convictions only one remained. He initially fled to Brazil, but returned voluntarily and turned himself in. During the attack in December 2022, a 55-year-old woman was tied up and robbed.
One of the people already convicted (57) did work in the house and garden for the later victim. He also built a shelter in the rabbit hutch, from which coins worth almost 800,000 euros were stolen during the raid. The Public Prosecution Service assumed that the man and his son (28) had passed on the information about the hiding place.
Coins from the rabbit hutch
Three other men – including the 23-year-old defendant – allegedly entered the home with a false key and tied up and threatened the woman to find out the code to her safe. But because of the excitement, she couldn’t remember, so the men just took him away. It would contain 35,000 euros. The robbers are also said to have stolen a bracelet worth 33,000 euros and coins from the rabbit hutch.
Two friends initially gave the 23-year-old a false alibi, allowing him to remain at large and escape to Brazil. Although there was an international arrest warrant, it would not have been executed in Brazil, as one of the investigators testified as a witness.
Return after “comprehensive reflection process”
“It was my own decision to come back,” the suspect emphasized. “He fully confessed,” said prosecutor Daniel Weinberger. Defender Gregor Kohlbacher attributed the return to a “comprehensive reflection process” in Brazil.
The 23-year-old portrayed the attack as fairly innocent; according to him, the woman was tied up, but her mouth was not taped. She was also able to free herself and go to the neighbor, who called the police.
The jury (chaired by Kornelia Philipp) found the defendant guilty on all three counts and imposed an unconditional prison sentence of four years. The judgment is not final.
Source: Krone
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