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Trial after blackmail with masturbation video

The young people are said to have communicated on Snapchat. (symbolic image)

(Bild: Stock Adobe, Krone KREATIV)

The allegations are serious: two teenagers (15, 16) allegedly posed as women on Snapchat. They allegedly demanded nude photos and videos from their victim (17), blackmailed the teenager with them and distributed the recordings. On Thursday, at least the second defendant appeared before the regional court in Wels, the first defendant was absent.

"On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog" - Back in 1993, a cartoon appeared in the American magazine "The New Yorker" in which a dog raves to a fellow dog about the advantages of the anonymity of the Internet. Even 31 years later, the quote has lost none of its relevance.

Serious accusations
On Thursday, two young people aged 15 and 16 will stand trial at Wels Regional Court. The charges are serious: they are accused of crimes of pictorial sexual abuse material and pictorial sexual depiction of minors and crimes of aggravated blackmail.

Pretended to be a woman
What does this have to do with anonymity on the internet? The two accused allegedly created a fake account on Snapchat together. Images and videos can be sent there that disappear by themselves after a few seconds - but it is still possible to save these recordings, for example via screenshots.

Recordings saved and sent
Under the guise of "Hannah H.", the two defendants allegedly requested "dick pics" (penis photos) and a masturbation video from their 17-year-old victim, which the latter made and sent. They then allegedly demanded cash from the 17-year-old in vain and finally sent the material to the victim's friends. 

Second defendant denied the accusations
Only the second defendant appeared in court on Thursday. He denied all accusations and emphasized that he had only been involved in the first contact. He wanted nothing to do with nude pictures and blackmail. 

"Did not want to pay"
The victim also testified in court. "I was asked if I wanted to exchange naked pictures. After thinking about it for a while, I decided to do so," said the now 18-year-old. "I was then blocked, and a few days later I was told I had to put money behind a tree so that the pictures wouldn't be sent on." However, he was stubborn and refused to pay. A friend then received a picture of him - with an explanation, as his face was not visible. She confided in another friend, who asked the unsuspecting victim why he was sending naked pictures to the first friend.

Up to five years in prison
The threat of a sentence of up to five years in prison did not materialize on Thursday: a mutual friend, who was summoned as a witness, did not show up and the first defendant was on sick leave. Now the friend who had received the pictures is also to be summoned and an expert opinion obtained. The next hearing is scheduled for December 5.