Beaten, threatened: – Suspension of sentence for brutal stepfather (49)

The hearing of the victims at the regional court in Feldkirch lasted several hours. On Friday afternoon, the chairman of the Senate jury, Theo Rümmele, found the 49-year-old defendant guilty of multiple coercion and bodily harm, because he had repeatedly beaten and forced both his wife and their three minor children between the ages of six and six. 13. The Senate found it proven, among other things, that the defendant, in a fit of rage, had grabbed one of the children by the neck, strangled her and beat her.

But in addition to painful blows and other abuse, the Senate also believed the victims’ stories about coercion in connection with an incident last December: at that time, the defendant threatened the children with abuse and that he would kill their mother if they left. she tells about the abuse. In return, he threatened the mother with the violent death of the children if she went to the police. The woman did report it and the suspect was arrested.

“Serious alcohol problem”
Rümmele motivated the verdict as follows: “The children have testified very well for their age.” And addressed the defendant directly: “You certainly wanted the best for your family now and then. But you have a serious drinking problem.”

The 49-year-old violent offender had pleaded not guilty until the end, describing the allegations made by the child’s mother as “unfounded”. However, he admitted that there was a certain amount of severity in raising children. The final sentence of a three-month suspended prison sentence, a fine of €1,000 and a total of €550 in damages for the pain and suffering of the victims is followed by an order to cease contact and a three-year alcohol ban.