Horror vacation trial unfolds in Austria. - Man (68) Cleared Following Assault with Pedal Boat in Germany
On a Monday, two individuals - apprentice painter Manuel B. (22) and asphalt worker Martin M. (38) - stood before the Regional Court in Innsbruck, Austria, charged with attempting to inflict serious bodily harm. By the end of the day, the verdict was reached: they were acquitted. There were various claims and counter-claims, but no tangible proof of the incident, no visible injuries, and no witnesses.
The trial. The prosecutor, Hansjörg Mayr, outlined the alleged crime: "On a sunny August 13, 2023, Mr. K. endured a few minutes of terror that felt like an eternity to him." He felt his life was in danger when a rowboat suddenly approached him on the Rheintaler Lake. He made attempts to evade the boat, but it kept getting closer.
Then, one of the men leaped out of the boat and shouted to the helmsman, "Hit him, hit him!"
Ulrich K. recounted his ordeal, explaining that he was pushed underwater and experienced a near-death fear. He swallowed water as he struggled to push the boat away, injuring his right shin in the process. With immense determination, he swam for 800 meters until he reached the shore and called the police.
On Monday, three men - the two defendants and the victim - met for the trial.
Denial of responsibility
Despite the accusations, the two defendants did not exhibit any remorse or guilt. Martin M. stated, "I don't even partially admit guilt." Manuel B. echoed the sentiment, claiming, "I only saw the swimmer when Martin jumped into the water and shouted, 'Don't hit him, don't hit him.'"
Their attorneys maintained that the rowboat was not capable of the agile movements the prosecution suggested. The defendants accused their victim of hurling insults like "assholes" at them, and also claimed that Mr. K. injured himself while getting out of the water.
The only confession Martin M. made was, "I had to laugh at my accent." Manuel B. added, "We wanted to apologize for the mutual insults with a bottle of beer and even offered him a ride on our boat."
The judge noticed several contradictions in the defendants' testimonies. If convicted, they could have faced prison sentences of one to ten years. However, in Innsbruck, they received a verdict of innocence. This verdict is legally binding.
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Source: symclub.org
