Drunk at Alpine Hut: Two Punches Result in €600 Fine
A 20-year-old man from the Lavanttal region punched a guest twice in the face while drunk at an alpine hut. Wolfsberg district court sentenced him to a €600 fine.
Punches at Alpine Hut: Wolfsberg District Court Sentences Lavanttal Man
A 20-year-old man from the Lavanttal region punched an unknown guest twice in the face at an alpine hut in St. Peter. According to the Kleine Zeitung, the case was heard at Wolfsberg district court for deliberate assault.
Judge Britta Kollmann-Moritz confronted the defendant directly about the incident: "You must not drink so much if you cannot control yourself afterwards." The 20-year-old admitted to consuming "two large beers and several schnapps" that evening. He said he could barely remember the punches themselves.
The victim, a man from Obdach, described the sequence of events from the witness stand: he had been at the hut with friends for a snack and was smoking outside when the visibly drunk defendant approached him and asked him for a cigarette. When he refused, he received a punch to the face. After a brief attempt to calm down, the victim returned to his companions – and was struck a second time from behind in the same spot shortly afterwards. "Then I'd had enough and I called the police," the victim said. Officers arrived about three-quarters of an hour later.
At the hospital, a skull CT scan was performed on the victim. A swelling in the area of the cheekbone was identified; no serious injuries occurred. However, he was off work for three days and reported still suffering occasional headaches today.
After giving his statement, the defendant apologised to his victim, saying "I'm sorry" – twice. The victim accepted the apology and shook his hand: "That's fine. Make sure you do better."
For the young man, this was not his first appearance in court. Judge Kollmann-Moritz noted in the file that a previous incident had already been settled by diversion and there were still outstanding debts from that time. The verdict is: €600 fine, payable in five instalments of 5 euros daily rate.
The defendant's mother, who had accompanied her son into the courtroom, interjected from the spectators' seats that payment would be difficult as her son was soon to join the armed forces. The judge refused to consider a reduction: "The daily rate of 5 euros is already low anyway."
Kollmann-Moritz also explained that a reporting restriction applies: the court, police and prosecution would have access to the prior conviction, but it would not appear in the character reference for employers. The entry would be expunged five years after the sentence is served. However, the judge ruled out any further leniency: "That won't be possible next time."
Source: Kleine Zeitung