16-year-old sentenced to 30 months partly conditional after knife attack on neighbour
A 16-year-old Czech stabbed his neighbour in Vienna in March, hitting the pericardium in the process. After the trial, he was convicted of grievous bodily harm – and was able to go home afterwards.
Vienna jury rejects attempted murder charge – adolescent released after remand
According to Kronen Zeitung, a 16-year-old Czech attacked his 23-year-old neighbour with a knife in Vienna in March, stabbing him multiple times in the upper abdomen – including a strike to the pericardium. The victim survived only through the swift intervention of paramedics.
"I hate violence," the adolescent told the jury at the Vienna Regional Court. He did not want to kill the man. He cited as a trigger a false story from his ex-girlfriend: she claimed that the 23-year-old family man was holding her captive and forcing her to take cocaine. Proceedings are also underway against the girl.
Pitbull without muzzle and leash
The defendant admitted to going to his neighbour's flat armed with a knife – accompanied by his pitbull, without a muzzle or leash. When the neighbour opened the door, the 16-year-old struck first before using the knife. He insisted he had only happened to bring the dog along: "We were just out for a walk together."
The prosecution disagreed with this account. It accused the adolescent of bringing the animal to intimidate. The prosecution also rejected his claimed memory loss during the attack: "For a memory loss, the account is too detailed." At the police station, the youth had already given precise information about where and how many times he had stabbed.
His lawyer Sascha Flatz argued that the adolescent had been taken in by manipulation from his girlfriend and had acted under those circumstances.
No attempted murder – 30 months partly conditional
The jury rejected the attempted murder charge. They convicted the 16-year-old of intentional grievous bodily harm and sentenced him to 30 months partly conditional imprisonment. Five months of this were imposed as unconditional – a period which the adolescent had already served in remand. After the verdict, he left the court a free man.
Source: Kronen Zeitung