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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Austrian Fritzl sentenced to life | Austrian Fritzl sentenced to life |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Austrian Josef Fritzl, who kept his daughter in a cellar and fathered her seven children, has been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. | Austrian Josef Fritzl, who kept his daughter in a cellar and fathered her seven children, has been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. |
| Fritzl, 73, was found guilty of all charges against him, including rape, incest, murder and enslavement. | Fritzl, 73, was found guilty of all charges against him, including rape, incest, murder and enslavement. |
| He showed no obvious emotion at the verdict, telling the court that he accepted it and would not appeal. | He showed no obvious emotion at the verdict, telling the court that he accepted it and would not appeal. |
| The court ordered that Fritzl should serve his life sentence in a secure psychiatric facility. | The court ordered that Fritzl should serve his life sentence in a secure psychiatric facility. |
| The judge said he could speak to his lawyer but he shook his head. Then he was led out of court with an impassive face. | The judge said he could speak to his lawyer but he shook his head. Then he was led out of court with an impassive face. |
| See the Fritzl family tree | |
| Fritzl's lawyer, Rudolf Mayer, said outside the court after the verdict: "He showed in his confession that he realises the dimension of his crimes and offences and as such the verdict is the logical consequence." | Fritzl's lawyer, Rudolf Mayer, said outside the court after the verdict: "He showed in his confession that he realises the dimension of his crimes and offences and as such the verdict is the logical consequence." |
| The life sentence was delivered for the crime of murder by neglect of one of the children, who died soon after birth. | The life sentence was delivered for the crime of murder by neglect of one of the children, who died soon after birth. |
| The jury unanimously accepted prosecutors' arguments that the child could have survived if it had received medical care denied by Fritzl. | The jury unanimously accepted prosecutors' arguments that the child could have survived if it had received medical care denied by Fritzl. |
| The defendant first denied murder and enslavement but changed his plea to guilty after seeing testimony from his daughter. | The defendant first denied murder and enslavement but changed his plea to guilty after seeing testimony from his daughter. |
| Co-ordination centre | Co-ordination centre |
| The BBC's Bethany Bell at the court says there has been an enormous amount of media interest in the trial, and its twists and turns have been enormous. | The BBC's Bethany Bell at the court says there has been an enormous amount of media interest in the trial, and its twists and turns have been enormous. |
| At the time of the first details of this case, no-one could grasp the extent of this man's crimes, she says, and Austria still has to come to terms with it. | At the time of the first details of this case, no-one could grasp the extent of this man's crimes, she says, and Austria still has to come to terms with it. |
| Court officials said Fritzl would be sent first to a co-ordination centre, where it would be determined how dangerous he was and whether he was able to undergo therapy, before going to the psychiatric facility. | Court officials said Fritzl would be sent first to a co-ordination centre, where it would be determined how dangerous he was and whether he was able to undergo therapy, before going to the psychiatric facility. |
| He could in theory be released from the facility if he is deemed to be cured of his illness and would serve the remainder of his sentence in a normal prison. | He could in theory be released from the facility if he is deemed to be cured of his illness and would serve the remainder of his sentence in a normal prison. |
| In this case he will be eligible for release after 15 years. | In this case he will be eligible for release after 15 years. |
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| Are you in Austria? What is your reaction? Send us your comments using the form below | Are you in Austria? What is your reaction? Send us your comments using the form below |
| In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |