The love affair with his underage girlfriend brought the 18-year-old student a case before the regional court in Feldkirch. There he received a suspended prison sentence and a fine.
The innocent boy sits shocked in the dock as the jury’s chairman, Christoph Stadler, announces the verdict, which is not yet legally binding. Guilty conviction for serious sexual abuse of a minor. The punishment: nine months in prison with probation and a fine of 1,440 euros. The council awarded the victim partial compensation of 2,000 euros. A lenient punishment, as the law provides for a prison sentence of up to ten years for such a crime.
Condom found with suspect’s DNA on it
The jury considered it proven that the 18-year-old student had sexual intercourse with his then 13-year-old girlfriend in a forest in Schnifis on September 4, 2023. The girl’s incriminating statements and a used condom with the suspect’s DNA, which was found in the forest two weeks after the alleged crime, were sufficient evidence for the Senate.
But the young man was not aware of any guilt and claimed not to have had sex with his girlfriend that day. They met there just for a conversation. Lawyer Astrid Wagner spoke about a possible revenge attack by the 13-year-old because the suspect had ended the relationship. It cannot be ruled out that the girl, who stated during her interrogation that she had had consensual sex with the boy several times in July 2023, would have kept the used condom and placed it where it was later found.
‘Victims don’t take the truth so seriously’
“The victim is someone who does not take the truth very seriously,” the defense argued. The student initially told the 18-year-old that she was over 14 and therefore of legal age. It was only in September that he found out that this was not the case. Later, the girl also pretended to be pregnant to my client by sending him fake ultrasound photos. She blackmailed him and bombarded him with hate messages. “A total of about 30,000 text messages,” says the lawyer.
Ultimately, she was the one who asked for three days’ reflection time after the verdict was announced. The public prosecutor has not made a statement. The verdict is not yet legally binding.
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.
