Trial in Innsbruck

Bailiffs threatened and pushed?

It remained unclear whether the bailiffs made themselves known.

(Bild: Florian Hitz)

A 47-year-old Tyrolean is said to have attacked two bailiffs in June last year and has now had to answer for this at the Innsbruck regional court. For the judge at the trial, however, "the evidence was too thin".

Two bailiffs suddenly turned up at his partner's property to carry out seizures on behalf of the Innsbruck district court. The 47-year-old was not very communicative and denied them access to his home. "But I didn't threaten or push anyone," the defendant vehemently defended himself against the accusations at Innsbruck District Court.

Shoving "was just a minor collision"
He categorically ruled out the possibility that he had verbally threatened the bailiffs - as stated in the indictment - "to call someone better" than the police and that they would then see how fast the two could run. And the alleged shoving was only a minor collision with one of them, as he had continued with his work and it had not been possible to avoid him at a narrow point.

I identified myself with certainty.

Einer der Gerichtsvollzieher

The two forfeits hardly helped to clarify the facts of the case. Above all, however, the question of whether they had even identified themselves as bailiffs came to a head. "I certainly did," said one of the witnesses, but a surveillance video of the area introduced as evidence by the defendant suggested otherwise. "I didn't recognize them as officials at all," said the 47-year-old.

"Violence threshold" not exceeded
In the end, the judge was convinced that although a statement had been made to the bailiffs, it could not be considered a threat. "Moreover, resistance to state authority only exists if it is clearly perceived as such." Acquittal!