Trial of four men in the "Soest horror house" begins
A trial against four suspects – including two juveniles – is beginning in Arnsberg. They are accused of torturing and abusing a homeless woman for months.
Tortured and raped – trial opens in Arnsberg
A criminal trial has begun against four suspects following months of suffering inflicted on a homeless woman in Soest, North Rhine-Westphalia. According to tagesspiegel.de, they face charges of assault, rape, coercion and unlawful imprisonment. Two of the defendants are 16 and 17 years old. The Arnsberg Regional Court announced at the start of proceedings that investigations continue against further suspects in the case.
The two adult defendants, aged 29 and 25, are in pre-trial detention and were led into the courtroom in handcuffs. They are alleged to have repeatedly lured their victim to the 29-year-old's terraced house from July to November 2025 – with the prospect of food and overnight accommodation. The "already defenceless woman" lived in constant fear, explained chief prosecutor Imke Reelsen.
According to the charges, serious assaults occurred in the house. The victim was made to dance on a table with soiled underwear in her mouth, was tortured with a used toilet brush and was raped by the 25-year-old in a children's bedroom while the 29-year-old filmed. She also suffered injuries from a high-pressure cleaner. Twice the victim was tied to a heating pipe in the cellar for at least an hour.
In November 2025 the situation escalated. The 17-year-old is alleged to have participated when the main defendant hanged the woman from a beam outside, partially undressed with handcuffs, in such a way that her feet just touched the ground. She suffered severe frostbite and was given intensive medical care for hours after being freed by police. Both defendants are accused of exposing their victim to "the danger of death".
A resident noticed the victim on the terrace late in the evening and alerted the police. The woman is now acting as a co-plaintiff but did not appear on the first day of trial – according to her lawyer, she is unfit to travel. The 16-year-old is accused of coercion in only one case. All four defendants are German; the 29-year-old, who worked as a nurse, also holds Croatian nationality.
The court is conducting proceedings as a youth chamber and in public, despite two defendants still being minors. The judge justified this with "significant public interest in information". Individual parts – such as statements by the juveniles – could be held in closed session.
According to court information, the 29-year-old lived in the house with his then partner and three children. Judge Gährken said that police only recently received new video material which revealed further alleged offences – also against the partner and other persons. She has been in pre-trial detention since the end of September. Prosecutor Annika Berg stated that the woman is under investigation for multiple assault and coercion offences. Berg declined to comment on the identity of further suspects for investigative reasons.
In preceding telephone conversations with defence counsel, it was indicated that the two adult defendants wanted to make statements regarding the charges and did not rule out confessions, the judge reported. With the new evidence and investigative findings, a legal hearing made even more sense. All four defence counsels agreed. In this hearing, defence counsel, co-plaintiffs and prosecutors will clarify whether and to what extent confessions are possible. A possible sentencing range will also be discussed. The next hearing is scheduled for 2 November; twelve further trial dates are scheduled until 17 December.
Source: WELT