This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/7952275.stm
The article has changed 16 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Austrian Fritzl sentenced to life | Austrian Fritzl sentenced to life |
| (10 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 | 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 handed down for the 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. |
| THE CHARGES Murder by neglectEnslavementDeprivation of libertyRapeIncestCoercion Lawyer: 'Fritzl had to be powerful'Day-by-day: Fritzl trialIn pictures: Josef Fritzl trialTimeline: Austrian cellar caseProfile: Josef Fritzl | |
| 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 initially return to St Poelten jail, where he has been held in custody. | Court officials said Fritzl would initially return to St Poelten jail, where he has been held in custody. |
| He will then be sent to a co-ordination centre, where it will be determined how dangerous he is and whether he is able to undergo therapy, before going on to the psychiatric facility. | He will then be sent to a co-ordination centre, where it will be determined how dangerous he is and whether he is able to undergo therapy, before going on 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. |
| 'Limit the damage' | |
| The Austrian imprisoned his daughter in a cellar under his house for 24 years and repeatedly raped her. | |
| The daughter and three of the children were kept captive in the cellar until the case came to light in April last year, when one of them became seriously ill and was taken to hospital. | |
| In his surprise confession on Wednesday, Fritzl admitted murdering by neglect one of newborn twin boys his daughter gave birth to in 1996, having failed to arrange medical care for the ailing infant. | |
| The other three children were raised in the family home by Fritzl and his wife, after he told people that his daughter had abandoned them and joined a sect. | |
| The daughter and her six surviving children been recovering from their ordeal in a psychiatric clinic and at a secret location. | |
| Addressing the jury before the verdict, Fritzl said: "I regret from the bottom of my heart what I've done to my family." | |
| "Unfortunately I cannot undo what I did. I can only try to limit the damage done as best as I can," he said. | |
| Return to top | Return to top |
| 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. |