15-year-old convicted

Millionaire’s son beats victim and torches car

The young defendant came to his trial in a suit.

(Bild: Anja Richter, Krone KREATIV)

Unusual hearing in Vienna's regional court on Monday. In the dock is a scion of one of the country's wealthiest families. The 15-year-old is accused of torching a car in front of the Schafbergbad in Vienna and damaging four others. He also has to answer for the grievous bodily harm of a victim of the same age together with a co-defendant.

"I've known the family for 40 years. Not only as a lawyer, but also as a friend," the defense lawyer for the young first defendant opens his plea, "And of course I asked myself how it was possible for this child to develop like this." He sees the explanation in the youngster's poor school results. "Then he drifted into these circles. The parents recognized the child's negative development too late."

Astrid Wagner, the lawyer for the second accused youngster, puts it more drastically: "It's a case of neglect of prosperity." Because the first defendant comes "from a very wealthy family". Specifically, from one of the richest in Austria. Her client, however, was from the middle class, but had allowed himself to be drawn into the maelstrom of the dazzling first defendant.

It was me who set fire to the Mercedes.

Der 15-jährige Millionärssohn zur Richterin

In courtroom 11 of the Vienna Regional Court, the millionaire's son, who appears in a suit, tie and spick-and-span white sports shoes, is treated like any other defendant by Judge Daniela Zwangsleitner. Ms. Rat wants to know from the 15-year-old what happened on 11 March 2023 in the Schafbergbad parking lot. "It was me who set fire to the Mercedes," admits the scion of a well-known family quietly and with his head down.

He came up with this "stupid idea" together with a friend. "I've been a judge for thirty years, but it's rare for young people to set fire to a car. It's usually garbage cans," says Zwangsleitner, surprised at the outburst of aggression. It wasn't over with the car, which was completely burnt out. The boys smashed the windshields of four other vehicles and kicked down the mirrors - causing damage in the five-digit range.

The juvenile defendants. Astrid Wagner (back) represented the second defendant.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV)

Victim beaten, coerced and humiliated
This is not the only crime the teenager is accused of. The trial is also about a case of grievous bodily harm, coercion and robbery. On the evening of 26 January 2023, the two defendants and other friends, some of whom were underage, met up with a young man of the same age whom they knew on the Schafberg. "We knew that we wanted to hurt him if he came up," the millionaire's son confessed on this point too. Why? He couldn't explain. He didn't have a specific problem with him, but someone else in the group did. It was obviously about a girl. 

We knew that we wanted to hurt him when he came up.

Der Erstangeklagte über den Gewaltexzess an einem Gleichaltrigen

First, a minor got into an argument with the victim. Then the 13-year-old and the second defendant robbed him of his airpods and jacket, threatening to beat him. When the victim ran away screaming for help after the robbery, they ran after him, forced the boy to kneel down and apologize. While they continued to beat and kick him. There is a video of the humiliating act, which resulted in a shoulder and nose injury, recorded by one of the young people present. "It was very unnecessary and stupid," said the 15-year-old on Monday. He appears to have reformed.

4800 euros in compensation handed over in the courtroom
After all, he had spent a year in Portugal as part of a privately organized project with psychological and socio-educational support, which his parents had financed. The father has also made up for the material damage. In court, his lawyer also handed over 4800 euros in compensation to the victim's representative.

"Dad paid that again," says Zwangsleitner, hoping that the teenager will have to pay him some of it back. The father nods. "So that he feels the after-effects," warns Ms. Rat as she pronounces the judges' sentences of three months suspended for the first defendant and six months suspended for the second defendant, who is also accused of the robbery. These do not appear in the certificate of good character.

The experienced juvenile court judge softens the harsh opening words of the defense attorneys at the end of the trial: "Parents are not always to blame for everything! They can't tie their children up, we all know that."