Seven Months Imprisonment for Assaulting Partner

A 27-year-old man from Vienna has been sentenced to seven months in prison for deliberately causing severe bodily harm to his ex-girlfriend. The ruling was made on Monday at the regional court, where the accused admitted full responsibility for his actions. The prosecution has yet to comment on the decision, which is not yet legally binding.

The incident occurred on January 5, 2025, when the defendant struck the woman, knocking her to the ground after she refused to go home with him. Witnesses reported that he then aggressively punched her approximately ten times while she lay on the floor and also kicked her. As a result, the victim sustained significant injuries, including a displaced fracture of the nasal structure and a fracture of the eye socket and adjacent bone of the maxillary sinus.

During the court proceedings, a photograph depicting the victim's injuries was shown, leading some audience members to react with suppressed expressions of horror. The defense attorney noted that the couple had a history with the police, indicating that their relationship was tumultuous, characterized by periods of separation and reconciliation, often exacerbated by alcohol use. The attorney remarked, "They struggled to coexist without conflict, often turning to alcohol."

In his statement to the court, the defendant claimed that when both he and his partner were sober, they had a harmonious relationship. However, he acknowledged that alcohol frequently led to disputes, provocations, and regrettable violent acts. He expressed remorse for his behavior.

This was not the first incident of violence involving the defendant, who has a prior conviction for similar offenses, resulting in a suspended sentence of 22 months. This record was taken into consideration during the current trial. In concluding his defense, the man vowed to maintain better behavior in the future, stating, "Alcohol had a strong hold on me, but that is now behind me."