Trial in Feldkirch

Swiss woman threatened passer-by with a knife

The accused Swiss woman was anything but remorseful and understanding in court.

(Bild: Dorn Chantall/Krone KREATIV)

Wild scenes took place in Dornbirn in May. A Swiss woman first threatened a passer-by and then attacked a police officer. Now the trial was about to begin.

The 49-year-old is led into the courtroom in handcuffs on Tuesday. She smiles and is polite to the judge and public prosecutor. The fact that an unpredictable person is hidden behind the Swiss woman's façade is clear from the criminal complaint on the one hand and from the unemployed woman's own account on the other. But more on that later.

Felt persecuted
The trained confectioner has to answer for dangerous threats, resisting public authority, grievous bodily harm and cruelty to animals. However, the defendant "doesn't really feel guilty". The first incident took place on May 16 on the Sägerbrücke bridge in Dornbirn. Because she felt she was being followed by a passer-by, the Swiss woman pulled out a bag knife and threatened the unsuspecting woman: "I'll stab you all!" The victim defends herself with an umbrella and then alerts the police. When the officers arrive and try to arrest the attacker, she fights back with kicks.

I have often been pursued by gangs in the past and have therefore become suspicious of this woman.

Die Angeklagte vor Gericht

During the trial, the defendant considers her actions to be justified. Regarding the dangerous threat against the passer-by, she said that she had already been followed by gangs in the past and had therefore also become suspicious of the woman. She justifies the kicks against the officer with his arrogance and the pain she had to endure when the police officer restrained her arms behind her back. During an investigation at her home in Vorarlberg, not only were numerous knives and an axe seized, the officers also found two half-starved and boiled guinea pigs in the cellar, which is why the Swiss woman now also has to answer for cruelty to animals.

For public prosecutor Richard Gschwenter, the case is sufficiently clear: "The lady is a little confused, but one hundred percent sane."

(Bild: Chantal Dorn)

Once again, the 49-year-old is not aware of any guilt. Cindy and Anna, as the guinea pigs are called, are already old anyway. One had bladder problems, the other kidney problems. She also wanted to take the animals to a boarding kennel anyway. They have since been taken to an animal shelter. Judge Christoph Stadler found the Swiss woman guilty as charged and sentenced her to seven months in prison, six of which were suspended. After the woman had already spent a month in pre-trial detention, she was released following the trial. Her closing words: "Ah, so now there are no more gloves? That's smooth!"