Knife attack in Villach over breast augmentation dispute: four months suspended
A 24-year-old woman injured her partner in Villach with a kitchen knife. The regional court sentenced her to four months' suspended imprisonment.
Villach woman convicted of knife attack on partner
A 24-year-old Slovenian citizen with Bosnian roots was sentenced to four months' suspended imprisonment on Wednesday at Klagenfurt Regional Court. According to Kleine Zeitung, she had injured her 37-year-old partner with a bread knife with a 20-centimetre blade in the early morning of 3 May in their shared flat in Villach.
The defendant allegedly stabbed the man's clothed upper body several times. The prosecutor charged her with attempted grievous bodily harm, which carries a sentence of up to two years' imprisonment.
Before Judge Claudia Bandion-Ortner, the 24-year-old pleaded not guilty. Her partner had pushed her to the ground and choked her beforehand — she acted in self-defence. Afterwards, she locked herself in the bedroom, drank beer and took medication "so I could calm down". She called the police herself the next morning, fearing her partner would not let her leave. When interviewed at around 8 a.m., a slight level of alcohol intoxication was detected.
The 37-year-old partner, also a Slovenian citizen with Bosnian roots, described the sequence of events differently. He said he merely wanted to hold her so she would calm down — there was no talk of choking. The argument had been triggered by rumours about his ex-girlfriend: "She had heard that I paid for her breast augmentation. But that was all lies, I have no contact with my ex any more."
The initially loud argument escalated into a physical altercation. The woman ran into the kitchen and the man tried to hold her from behind. She grabbed the knife and waved it about, striking him on the back in the process. The most serious injuries occurred when he tried to take the knife from her: "I grabbed the blade and cut myself in the process." He did not believe she intended to injure him: "But when she drinks, unfortunately she is unpredictable."
Following the statements of both parties, it emerged that the two are still a couple. The man said he did not want to press charges and did not want damages. The 24-year-old has been in a rehabilitation facility for three months, where she is being treated for alcohol dependence.
Judge Bandion-Ortner ruled out a situation of self-defence but also found no intent to commit grievous bodily harm. She considered mitigating factors to be the defendant's previously unblemished record and the ongoing therapy for alcohol and aggression problems. The use of a weapon was an aggravating factor. The probation period is three years. "Please take care in future, this could have ended badly," said Bandion-Ortner.
The defendant accepted the verdict. The prosecution made no statement; the verdict is not yet final.
Source: Kleine Zeitung