"Not my character"

Family man groped 26 women in Vienna

(Bild: LPD Wien)

In Vienna-Margarethen, a former cab driver groped 26 women. According to the public prosecutor, in two cases it almost came to rape. The 33-year-old family man has now been sentenced to one year's partial imprisonment.

The now unemployed Turk worked as a cab driver in Vienna. He often took his breaks at the Kliebergasse underpass in Margarethen. According to the public prosecutor, he committed 27 sexual offenses against 26 victims there: "One victim was attacked twice."

The attacks reported by the "Krone" always took place in the same way. The 33-year-old father kept an eye out for victims and followed them up the narrow escalator, which was not under video surveillance at the time. There he firmly grabbed the crotch of his young victims, in two cases there was intense touching which, according to the public prosecutor, was "close to rape".

I felt like I was being followed. Suddenly I felt the blow between my legs. When I turned around, I saw someone running away.

Eine der sexuell belästigten Frauen

"He did it. He saw someone else do it and had the stupid idea to do it too," said the 33-year-old's legal representative. The incidents took place in August 2023.

"I was on my way to my mother's house. I felt like I was being followed. Suddenly I felt the blow between my legs. When I turned around, I saw someone running away," a young woman described in court. She panicked for a long time after the incident and avoided underpasses.

Judge: "He felt sorry for himself the most"
In court, the perpetrator confessed to the accusation of sexual harassment and violation of sexual self-determination, but was tight-lipped. According to court expert Peter Hofmann, the Turkish man was sane when he committed the acts. "That's not my character, really. Sorry" - the trembling perpetrator did not say much more in front of the jury. However, the judge found no sympathy, he had "felt sorry for himself the most".

The blameless man is sentenced to one year of partial imprisonment - he has to spend three months in prison. The probation period is three years. He must also seek therapeutic help from an institution within one month.