Trial over hospitalization

Vienna: HIV-positive man put blood in policewoman’s mouth

The HIV-positive man stuck his bloody finger into the mouth of a Viennese policewoman. (symbolic image)

(Bild: Volodymyr - stock.adobe.com)

A young policewoman had to suffer agonizing fears. During an operation, a 35-year-old Viennese man with bloodied hands grabbed her mouth. The man found out shortly beforehand that he was HIV-positive and got high on drugs out of anger. It is still unclear whether he infected the woman during the brutal attack.

"When I was diagnosed with HIV, I couldn't cope with my life anymore. I got high on benzos and was out all night," said the 35-year-old at the start of the trial. On January 27, the situation escalated when police officers wanted to establish his identity.

Violent outburst, even with a stethoscope
A terrible incident in the stairwell of a residential building, which numerous officers recalled as witnesses in court on Monday. During the official act, the drugged-up man snatched his stethoscope from a paramedic who had been called. The accused then used it to attack a policewoman. He hit another officer around ten times in the face. Finally, the HIV-positive man, who also has hepatitis, drove his blood-stained fingers into her mouth and shouted: "I've got everything, you A.........." - according to the German Criminal Code, this is deliberately endangering people with communicable diseases. 

"I'm ashamed of it"
"I'm sorry that I put my foot in her mouth. Especially because I know what I went through and how I felt before I was diagnosed. It's the original horror," he affirms and adds: "I'm ashamed of it." Judge Wolfgang Etl asks why he insulted the police officers so violently - in addition to the excess of violence: "I can't explain it. The police often helped me. For example, they saved my mother from being beaten up by my father several times." 

The policewoman affected by the blood attack describes the anxious time she had to live through. Due to the long incubation period, the next test is due in July. Only then will she know whether she has been infected. And even then, not with certainty.

Court psychiatrist Peter Hofmann examined the accused.

(Bild: Groh)

Expert attests personality disorder
His parents' dramatic, violent relationship is said to be the reason why the accused went off the rails: The drug-addicted man already has a total of 13 previous convictions. However, it was not primarily about the drug addiction, "but rather about the man's combined personality disorder", court psychiatrist Peter Hofmann explained his expert opinion to the jury and argued in favor of institutionalization. In addition to the sentence of two years' unconditional imprisonment for committing an offense while fully intoxicated, institutionalization was ordered.

The young policewoman, who is undergoing HIV prophylaxis, was awarded 3,480 euros in damages.