Trial in Innsbruck

Fence dispute between neighbors led to criminal court

The trial took place at the Innsbruck Regional Court.

(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Various allegations about a driveway in Tyrol did not remain without consequences for four people involved. They have been charged with giving false evidence and attempted aggravated fraud.

Even in a typical conflict between neighbors, you should stick to the truth. This lesson can be drawn from a trial at Innsbruck Regional Court. The case involved attempted serious fraud and, in one case, false evidence.

Was the fence movable or not?
The original dispute, which led to civil proceedings, was sparked by a land use and the access rights there. Among other things, the focus was on : A fence which, according to the defendants, was "immovable" and an access road to the tenant's property.

The fence was fixed. This has obviously changed over the years.

Eine Angeklagte beim Prozess

First defendant: "That was a manipulation"
The public prosecutor contradicted the statements, suggesting that these two facts were lies and deliberate deception. In court, three defendants - the second defendant was acquitted in the course of the trial - nevertheless stuck to their version. The fence had been "permanently installed" and she was astonished to discover that it had apparently changed over the years. "There must have been manipulation," she said.

No verdict possible yet
The third and fourth defendants also agree. The third defendant said that the "pillars were firmly anchored in the ground", which he knew because he himself had "made the ground support" in 1987. The fourth defendant was also certain: "I know that the fence as a whole was fixed." The trial was adjourned for further witnesses.