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Austrian man Josef Fritzl, who sexually assaulted and imprisoned his own daughter in the basement of their home, has successfully petitioned to be transferred from a psychiatric facility in prison.
88-year-old Fritzl, who was seen for the first time in 15 years on Thursday morning as he was driven to court, was wearing a denim jacket. According to reports, he was visibly emotional upon hearing the decision from a panel of three female judges at the regional court in Krems, Austria.
His lawyer, Astrid Wagner, recently stated that he is seeking early release from prison due to his advanced age and dementia. This would allow him to move into a nursing home upon release.
Since his conviction in 2009 for incest, rape, enslavement, coercion, and the murder of his newborn son through neglect, he has been incarcerated in a prison specifically for inmates with mental abnormalities.
Ms. Wagner stated that he was on the verge of tears and expressed remorse for his actions, acknowledging that they were terrible and expressing deep sorrow for those affected. She added that he wished he could reverse what had been done.
Josef Fritzl expresses confidence in being reunited with his family.
The image is from SID Lower Austria via Getty Images.
Despite having dementia and experiencing lapses in memory, the perpetrator was able to understand and participate in the legal proceedings. This was determined after a psychiatric evaluation concluded that he was no longer a danger of committing another crime, as reported.
He can ask to be released from prison completely while serving a normal sentence. Ms. Wagner mentioned that she intends to make this request in the upcoming year.
“According to Ms Wagner, his daily routine will remain unchanged. She stated that prison is prison and mentioned that he will still receive psychotherapy.”
In 2008, Elisabeth, his daughter, informed the police that she had been held captive by him. At 42 years old, she revealed that she had been confined underground for 24 years and subjected to abuse since she was 11 years old.
Fritzl enticed her to enter the cellar, which was constructed like a bunker from the Cold War, when she was 18 years old. He informed his wife and others that she had left to join a cult.
Fritzl enticed her to enter the underground room, constructed like a bunker from the Cold War era, where she remained for 24 years.
Before, he had expressed confidence that his family would forgive him. In a uncommon statement released by his attorney Astrid Wagner, Fritzl stated to The Sun: “I deeply miss my family. They are always on my mind and I long to see my grandchildren.”
“I have faith that I will have the opportunity to see them again someday. I am confident that we will be reunited and they will forgive me for my actions. I’m certain of it.”
Fritzl expressed deep remorse and apologized for his actions, stating that he regrets the harm he has caused. However, he maintains that he did not commit murder and disagrees with certain labels that have been used to describe him.
Source: independent.co.uk
