Aloisianum Grammar School

Criminal complaint against pupils after scandal on trip

Five former pupils of the venerable private grammar school Aloisianum on the Freinberg in Linz will be put on trial in January

(Bild: Pressefoto Scharinger/Daniel Scharinger)

Now it's official: five former pupils of the elite grammar school in Linz will have to stand trial in January after an assault on a fellow pupil during a school trip to Italy. The public prosecutor's office accuses the boys of coercion and two of them of making dangerous threats.

It was during a language and culture trip to Assisi in Italy organized by the private grammar school Kollegium Aloisianum in Linz that a serious assault allegedly took place in the students' accommodation. Five boys (16 and 17 years old) allegedly - as reported several times - carried a then 15-year-old female classmate into one of the hotel rooms against her will (there are also video recordings) and locked her in there. 

Cracking her back
The male teenagers allegedly forced her to "crack" their backs. The classmate finally complied with the demand, as she allegedly would not have been allowed out of the room otherwise.

All five defendants are charged with this offense. The girl is said to have been placed on the bed by them, one of the boys is said to have asked: "Who will be the first to put a hole in it?"

"Wiping the ass"
The pupil was also allegedly threatened with being locked in a cupboard. According to the public prosecutor's office, she was forced not to leave the room. The room was then locked from the outside. However, the classmate was allegedly told that she would be allowed to leave if she wiped one of the boys' bottoms. 

The completely frightened teenager is said to have finally managed to escape. One of the boys is said to have tripped her in the process. She turned to her teachers for help, who reported the incident.

"Just for fun"
During questioning, the accused are said to have admitted that they carried the girl into the room, but denied the threats and coercion. From their point of view, it was all just fun, the classmate had participated voluntarily.

Although the five accused admit to having carried the girl into one of the rooms, they deny having threatened or coerced their classmate. They claim that everything happened on a voluntary basis and just for fun.

Florian Roitner, Sprecher der Staatsanwaltschaft Linz

On January 24, the quintet will have to answer to the Linz provincial court; the youngsters face up to six months in prison.

One of the boys is currently still being investigated on suspicion of reoffending. However, the proceedings are to be conducted separately and have not yet been concluded.