Image: FOTOKERSCHI.AT / KERSCHBAUMMAYR (FOTOKERSCHI.AT / KERSCHBAUMMAYR)
The young people, a 15-year-old, an acquaintance of the same age and a 16-year-old at the time, are said to have bought category 3 and 4 fireworks in the Czech Republic. The 15-year-old made a full confession, the other two only partially.
The public prosecutor accuses the friends of serious communal violence, serious bodily harm and burglary. The trio is said to have stolen cigarettes from a vending machine before the riots, before later throwing firecrackers at the police officers “in the first row” in downtown Linz and handing out firecrackers.
The prosecutor found it “very unusual” to “go at the police officers and fight them for no reason,” as happened on Halloween night. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured and the damage to property was “manageable”. If the three young people in custody show honest remorse and apologize in the process, the prosecution believes that they would not have to go back to prison, he said with regard to the extent of the sentence of unconditional detention.
“I’m here now for ten minutes of Halloween”
At least for the 15-year-old, the time in custody should have been enough to realize that he had made “big mistakes”. His defense attorney said there was a “favorable social prognosis” for the Afghan. “I’m here for ten minutes of Halloween,” he admitted. He wants to go back to school and do an apprenticeship.
The 15-year-old girl, on the other hand, only admitted to buying the firecrackers in the Czech Republic and taking part in the theft. They would have let some go off in the afternoon, but she would not have taken part in the riots in the evening. The Thai woman only wants to have accompanied her boyfriend, the now 17-year-old accused. She was wearing a balaclava and probably had firecrackers with her, but nothing more, the defender explained.
Two defendants deny everything
Like her boyfriend, she denied that the girl, who had already been convicted of stealing a mobile phone, played a leading role in the riots during her probationary period. The Iraqi too only claims to have been a follower.
Since the accused are still young people, the sentence is up to two and a half years in prison, which is only half of the actual sentence. A verdict is planned for the afternoon.
Source: Nachrichten
