Trial in Feldkirch

Violent ex stood trial again

The defendant in court.(Bild: Chantall Dorn)

The defendant had already beaten his wife several times during the marriage, leaving her hospitalized. But bans on contact and prison sentences did not stop him from trying to kill the now 39-year-old even eleven years after the divorce. Trial at the Feldkirch regional court. 

The ordeal the mother of two went through during her marriage to the violent man can be deduced from her previous convictions. The 40-year-old unemployed man has four relevant entries for dangerous threats, deliberate grievous bodily harm, persistent persecution and coercion. But even 17 restraining orders and two prison sentences did not stop the defendant from continuing.

Out of fear of him, the woman and the children kept moving. But no matter which municipality or federal state she settled in, sooner or later the ex found out where she was staying and threatened to kill her. This was also the case at the beginning of September, when he was once again released from prison. The reason this time was an order from the higher regional court for outstanding maintenance payments amounting to 40,000 euros.

"I was visiting my son in Vorarlberg that day when his father called him. I could hear the conversation over the loudspeaker. He shouted into the phone that I only ever wanted money, that I was a whore and would die for it," says the 39-year-old.

She also says that she is still afraid of her ex. She justifies this with an incident at her new workplace in Upper Austria. "I was at home that day when my boss called me worried and told me about a masked person sneaking around the building. It was 34 degrees that day!" said the witness. In the evening, someone rang her apartment doorbell several times and kept the peephole shut, the 39-year-old added.

"The accused has an enormous potential for violence. He has been divorced for eleven years and is still so hated. The victim is still scared to death of him!"

Opferanwältin Ariana Etefagh

When the defendant's 15-year-old son enters the courtroom, it quickly becomes clear that what he has experienced at the hands of his violent father is still in his bones. He nervously describes another situation he experienced with his father. "I didn't dare turn my back on him for fear that something would happen."

When asked by the judge whether he believed that his father could carry out the threats against his mother, the teenager replied: "Yes, I really fear that." The defendant, who assumes a conspiracy against him and pleads not guilty to the charges, claims otherwise. Which is why the public prosecutor attests to his complete lack of understanding and makes her fear the worst for the future. Judge Verena Wackerle sentenced the insubordinate to nine months in prison for making a dangerous threat. A further four months are added to this from the revocation of the last suspended sentence. The verdict is not final.