Beaten and robbed

Gang of youths broke the jaw of pensioner (73)

(Bild: Bissuti Kristian/Kristian Bissuti, Krone KREATIV)

Four robberies in 24 hours - this is the frightening record of a gang of youths in Vienna. On October 7, they attacked three victims on their e-scooters with guns and knives. But the night before, they had already pursued a pensioner (73), brutally beating him up and taking his wallet - again resulting in prison sentences!

With their heads bowed, the three youths stare at their hands in the Vienna provincial court while their defense lawyers ask for a lenient sentence. Not the first time: the three boys had already shared the dock on November 21. And that was also a case of aggravated robbery - on October 7, they got on their e-scooters with a blank gun, switchblade knife, jackknife and garden shears and indiscriminately sought out victims.

"Decided to rob him"
Not the gang's first crimes, as it later turned out. The evening before the e-scooter robbery, they had already attacked a pensioner. In a bank branch at the main railway station, they watched the 73-year-old withdraw bills from the ATM. "We were interested in this money. Then we decided to rob him," admitted the 16-year-old third defendant. 

The defendants suddenly hit him with their fists and held a dagger to him. When he was already lying on the ground, they kicked him hard in the head several times.

Die Staatsanwältin über den brutalen Angriff auf den Pensionisten

The three boys pursued their victim for ten minutes - right up to his front door. "The defendants suddenly hit him with their fists and held a dagger to him. When he was already lying on the ground, they kicked him hard in the head several times." They finally ran off with the pensioner's wallet, which contained 600 euros. The Viennese man was left lying there with a broken jaw, a sprained spine, several abrasions and bruises.

Prison sentences for youth gang
"Why did you do that?" asks Ms. Rat. The answer: "We needed money for drugs." - "I hear that every time! But it doesn't help the victim. The man was seriously injured. You didn't care about that?" - "We wanted more drugs," one of the accused meekly replies. 

The 18-year-old was sentenced to six years in prison for aggravated robbery - a new provision resulting from the protection against violence package was applied to him, which stipulates the same minimum sentence for young adults for armed robbery as for adults, namely five years. He received a conditional sentence of four years. The 17-year-old received 30 months, ten of which were unconditional. The 16-year-old received 27 months, nine of which were unconditional.

First robbery sentences too low
However, the sentences from their first robbery trial are not legally binding. They were too low for the public prosecutor's office. The eldest received two years in prison. The 17-year-old client of lawyer David Jodlbauer was sentenced to 17 months' partial imprisonment and the third in the group to 18 months' partial imprisonment.