The men are accused of a number of crimes. The allegations range from re-offending, extortion, bodily harm, drug-related offenses, coercion to dangerous threats. All three will be released from custody for the trial, two have now surprisingly been released from custody.
Defendants at large
The main accused and the third accused have been in custody for ten months. However, they have now been released because the requirement for speed was violated, court spokesman Christoph Zonsics-Kral confirmed a media report. This means that the proceedings must always be carried out quickly and without unnecessary delay, especially when the accused are in custody. They are either “entitled to a verdict as soon as possible or to be released during the proceedings”.
Since the charges were brought in February and became final in April, but the trial had not yet begun, the lawyers for both men filed an appeal, which has now been accepted by the Vienna Higher Regional Court. The Vienna Higher Regional Court speaks of a “significant delay in a detention case”. The third accused – listed as the second defendant in the proceedings – was always at large.
Protection racketeering in the Innviertel
The trio is primarily accused of protection racketeering. The three members of the biker club are said to have raided an Upper Austrian bar on September 17, 2023. The owner was initially made to understand that he would either pay or “we’ll be back”. The man was then surrounded, knocked to the ground with a punch and then kicked at the DJ booth. The bar owner suffered injuries to both eyes, bruises and scratches on his chest and back. The DJ was also injured in the eye with a blow to the head. A guest was jostled so that he was thrown against a wall and fell to the ground.
Bodily harm and re-offending
According to the prosecution, the three were not exactly gentle with their physical assaults. They often made threats afterwards. For example, they told a bus driver: “If there is a complaint, I’ll kill you.” And further: “You’re the first one we’ll get.” There was also little respect for police officers. One officer was shown the Hitler salute and the slogan “Sieg Heil” was chanted loudly several times. When he was arrested in October 2023, one of the suspects said: “I will use my power and take it out on one of you and in a dark place one of you will bleed.” He would even get a “nice medal” for that, the accused said.
