Vienna Court Sentences Father to Ten Years in Prison for Child Abuse

The Vienna Regional Court has sentenced a 42-year-old Syrian man to ten years in prison for long-term child abuse involving his three sons. The court also handed down a one-year suspended sentence to the children's 40-year-old mother for failure to render assistance. Neither verdict is currently legally binding.

According to the prosecution, the father subjected his sons, currently aged between 12 and 17, to physical violence over a period of six years. Punishments were inflicted for minor infractions, including problems at school, general disobedience, or riding a bicycle without permission. Prosecutors stated that the father systematically used his hand, a belt, and a charging cable to strike the children, taking breaks during the beatings to recover from the exertion.

The trial focused on an incident occurring on July 12, 2026, when the twelve-year-old son was hit by a car while riding a bicycle without permission. Although the child escaped the traffic accident uninjured, the father subsequently beat the boy over a duration of five and a half hours. Neighbours eventually alerted the police, who arrested the father at the scene. A forensic medical examination documented more than 100 distinct marks from beatings and lashes across the boy's body.

During the court proceedings, recorded testimonies from the three sons were presented behind closed doors. The defendant disputed the full extent of the charges, acknowledging only occasional slaps while denying systematic violence. Prosecutors asserted that the mother failed to contact emergency services or protect her son, despite the father informing her during the July attack that he would beat the child to death if necessary. The mother's defence counsel had requested an acquittal, arguing that she had otherwise cared for the children.

Written by Christiane Hofreiter christiane.hofreiter@alpineweekly.com