BRITAIN-ABUSE/AUSTRIA Austrian court expected to rule in case against British soldier accused of child rape

Record ID: 147229

  • Title: BRITAIN-ABUSE/AUSTRIA Austrian court expected to rule in case against British soldier accused of child rape
  • Date: 14th July 2015
  • Summary: INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA (JULY 14, 2015) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF INNSBRUCK HIGHER REGIONAL COURT SIGN "TRIAL" PEOPLE IN HALLWAY LAWYER OF THE ACCUSED, LASZLO SZABO (LEFT) IN DISCUSSION SZABO LISTENING PAN ACROSS PEOPLE WAITING IN HALLWAY (SOUNDBITE) INNSBRUCK HIGHER REGIONAL COURT, ANDREAS STUTTER, SAYING: "The defendant is accuse
  • Embargoed: 29th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Austria
  • Country: Austria
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA6Z115B3R4W5EENYOFR4MLFHWE
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A British soldier charged with sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl last November could face up to ten years in prison, a spokesman for Austria's Innsbruck regional court said on Tuesday (July 14).
    The accused was detained on November 29 in the Austrian province of Tyrol, outside the house where he is alleged to have sexually assaulted and raped the child in the early hours of the morning. He has since been detained in custody.
    "The charges are based on statements from the child and her father," said court spokesman Andreas Stutter.
    The girl's father "is said to have noticed someone before he caught him red-handed. In addition, there are molecular biological traces," Stutter added.
    "According to Austrian law, rape and sexual abuse of minors carries a sentence of between one and ten years in prison."
    At the time of the arrest, the Heute newspaper reported that the incident took place while British soldiers were in Tyrol for mountain training.
    A spokesman for the British army said at the time that they were aware of the arrest and detention of a soldier, but that it was a matter for the Austrian authorities and they would not comment further.
    Innsbruck's regional court is expected to announce the verdict at 1:30 p.m. (1130 GMT).
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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