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Josef Fritzl admits all charges Josef Fritzl admits all charges
(40 minutes later)
Josef Fritzl, the Austrian accused of imprisoning his daughter and fathering seven children with her, has changed his pleas to guilty on all charges.Josef Fritzl, the Austrian accused of imprisoning his daughter and fathering seven children with her, has changed his pleas to guilty on all charges.
Mr Fritzl faces life imprisonment for a string of offences, including rape, incest, murder and enslavement. Fritzl said video testimony from his daughter, played in court on Tuesday, made him change his mind.
He initially denied two of the charges, including murdering one of the children soon after its birth. A court doctor has recommended that the 73-year-old be sent to a psychiatric facility for treatment.
The 73-year-old locked his daughter and the children in a cellar underneath his house for up to 24 years. Fritzl, who locked up his daughter for 24 years, has admitted rape, incest, murder and enslavement.
At the start of his trial on Monday, he denied the charges of enslavement and murdering one of the children soon after its birth.
His surprise turnabout also altered his plea from "partial" to guilty on the charge of rape.
A verdict and sentencing is expected on Thursday.
'Sorry'
Wearing a grey suit and a blue shirt, Fritzl did not hide his face on Wednesday, as he had done for the past two days, when he was led into the courtroom in St Poelten, west of Vienna.Wearing a grey suit and a blue shirt, Fritzl did not hide his face on Wednesday, as he had done for the past two days, when he was led into the courtroom in St Poelten, west of Vienna.
FRITZL'S CRIMES MurderEnslavementDeprivation of libertyRapeIncestCoercion class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7947805.stm">Day-by-day: Fritzl trial class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7946114.stm">In pictures: Josef Fritzl trial class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7370208.stm">Timeline: Austrian cellar case class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7371959.stm">Profile: Josef Fritzl As proceedings began, the judge asked Fritzl how he felt after watching the videotaped testimony of his daughter.
Asked by the judge what had caused him to change his plea, he replied: "My daughter's videotaped testimony." FRITZL'S CRIMES MurderEnslavementDeprivation of libertyRapeIncestCoercion class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7947805.stm">Day-by-day: Fritzl trial class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7946114.stm">In pictures: Josef Fritzl trial class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7370208.stm">Timeline: Austrian cellar case class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7371959.stm">Profile: Josef Fritzl In a low voice he said: "I plead guilty."
"I'm sorry," he added, AFP news agency reported. "Your daughter told you the baby was suffering from breathing problems," the judge said. "You had time to get first aid."
Prior to the surprise change of plea, the court had been expecting to hear evidence from psychiatrist Dr Adelheid Kastner. Fritzl said: "I was hoping the little one would survive but I should have done something. I don't know why I didn't help. I just lost sight [of the issue]."
He then said he was "sorry".
The court later heard psychiatrist Dr Adelheid Kastner say there was a danger Fritzl would repeat his behaviour if he was left untreated.
She recommended that he be sent to a psychiatric facility.
She said Fritzl had an overwhelming need to dominate and control, which she said stemmed from his childhood.
She said he was an unwanted, unloved child, intelligent, who had grown up determined to have somebody who belonged to him alone.
He was emotionally deficient but that he knew what he was doing what wrong, she added.
Soundproofed chamberSoundproofed chamber
The court viewed the testimony from Fritzl's daughter on Tuesday.The court viewed the testimony from Fritzl's daughter on Tuesday.
Austrian media reported that members of his family were present in the courtroom on Tuesday. Austrian media reported that members of his family were present in the courthouse on Tuesday.
BBC correspondents confirmed there were people in a private viewing gallery, but it was not clear who they were.BBC correspondents confirmed there were people in a private viewing gallery, but it was not clear who they were.
Fritzl lured his 18-year-old daughter into a cellar with windowless, soundproofed chambers beneath their house in Amstetten in 1984.Fritzl lured his 18-year-old daughter into a cellar with windowless, soundproofed chambers beneath their house in Amstetten in 1984.
He imprisoned her there and raped her repeatedly over a number of years.He imprisoned her there and raped her repeatedly over a number of years.
The daughter and three of the children fathered by Fritzl were kept captive in the cellar until the case came to light in April last year, when one of the children became seriously ill and was taken to hospital.The daughter and three of the children fathered by Fritzl were kept captive in the cellar until the case came to light in April last year, when one of the children became seriously ill and was taken to hospital.
He was accused of murdering one of newborn twin boys his daughter gave birth to in 1996, having failed to arrange medical care for the ailing infant.He was accused of murdering one of newborn twin boys his daughter gave birth to in 1996, having failed to arrange medical care for the ailing infant.