49-year-old man convicted of assault in Weiz – six months suspended sentence
At Weiz district court, a 49-year-old man was convicted of assault and property damage and sentenced to six months imprisonment suspended on probation.
Blows in the garage: Weiz district court delivers verdict against previously convicted 49-year-old
As reported by Kleine Zeitung, Weiz district court found a 49-year-old man guilty of assault and property damage. He allegedly struck a 40-year-old woman several times with an open hand to the chest, causing a haematoma. Additionally, he reportedly struck her head with her mobile phone and then threw it to the ground, shattering it. He also tore her shirt and bra.
The defendant denied the allegations and described them as fabricated. He disputed that the woman was his girlfriend but acknowledged an intimate relationship. "She was constantly two-timing me and lying to me," he said in court. He cited various triggers for the dispute, including her plan to take a second job, a tattoo on her décolletage that a male tattoo artist had given her, and a meeting with a relative.
The 40-year-old gave testimony only in the defendant's absence. She described how the argument had begun early in the morning and escalated in the garage in the evening. There, he had allegedly struck and pushed her, causing her to fall to the ground. Nevertheless, she subsequently followed him to his flat, where he allegedly struck her with the mobile phone. "I left his flat at half past eleven. I was in shock; my parents convinced me to go to the police," she explained. The injuries and damaged clothing were documented photographically.
The defendant held it against her that she did not file a report until the following afternoon. The judge did not accept this: "One can make up a lot of things when one has been in the business for a long time." He painted a clear picture of the defendant: "In truth, you have an aggression problem."
The judge's accusation was also based on the man's history. The 49-year-old had already been convicted eight times, including for unlawful imprisonment, aggravated theft, dangerous threats, and fraud. The defendant attempted to refute this by pointing out it was "20 years ago" – but the judge contradicted him: his most recent conviction was in 2020 for property damage.
The verdict was six months imprisonment, suspended on probation for three years. Additionally, the judge ordered probation supervision and required the defendant to complete aggression-management training within eighteen months. The 40-year-old demanded 900 euros in compensation – for pain and suffering as well as compensation for the broken mobile phone and destroyed clothing. The defendant refused to pay and announced that he would appeal.
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Support services for violence: Women's helpline: 0800 / 222 555 (free, 24/7) · Men's crisis helpline: 05 76 77 · Violence protection centres: 0800 / 700 217 · Police emergency: 133
Source: Kleine Zeitung