Trial in Innsbruck

Argument with girlfriend led to scuffle with police

Police officers suddenly found themselves confronted by three aggressive men in a parking lot in Außerfern (symbolic image)

(Bild: Andi Schiel)

Escalation in a parking lot in Reutte in Tyrol: three men were charged with resisting arrest and grievous bodily harm. The cause was turbulence in a couple's relationship.

The reason that brought the three defendants to the attention of the public prosecutor's office was rather harmless: it was an apparently intense but not entirely unusual relationship dispute. Two of those involved took their seats in the dock before Judge Bernhard Rüßkamp at Innsbruck Regional Court on Tuesday. The first defendant, however, did not appear.

Thermal spa parking lot was the scene
The altercation initially began in the parking lot of a thermal spa in the Außerfern region between the first defendant and his girlfriend at the time. Passers-by were concerned about the loudness and intensity of the argument and called the police. The first defendant was not very pleased about this intervention and resisted arrest.

It was not brute force, but more of a shoving match.

Angeklagter beim Prozess

Two colleagues came to the aid of the police
The fact that their colleague was then pinned to the ground by two police officers prompted two of his friends to take action: The workmen of Turkish origin interfered in the arrest without further ado and, according to their own statements, wanted to "separate" the man and the police officers during the hearing. They were not interested in brute force, but rather in a more or less physical "groping".

"Violently torn away"
The police officers, on the other hand, described this differently as witnesses, reporting fisticuffs: "For example, when I was on the ground and restraining the first defendant, I was pulled back up by the belt with considerable force," reported one of the officers. The other police officer also confirmed: "My colleague was violently pulled away by the men."

The trial took place at Innsbruck Regional Court.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

One sentence, two diversions without a verdict
Judge Rüßkamp finally offered the two defendants diversion and fines. The third defendant has to pay 1000 euros, the second defendant 2000 euros. He sentenced the first defendant and instigator of the whole turmoil to a fine in absentia: of the 8400 euros imposed, 4200 must be paid unconditionally. The latter is not yet legally binding.