No children born of alleged abuse case in Austria

AUSTRIAN prosecutors investigating suspicions that an 80-year-old sexually abused his two mentally disabled daughters for 41 years said no children were born of the alleged incestuous relationships.

The case has parallels to that of another Austrian, Josef Fritzl, who imprisoned his daughter in a windowless cellar for 24 years and repeatedly raped her, fathering her seven children. Fritzl was sentenced to life imprisonment two years ago for that crime and for responsibility in the death of one of the children.

But state prosecutor Alois Ebner said that questioning of the 80-year-old’s two daughters and other had indicated that no offspring existed.

The man — from the Upper Austrian village of St Peter am Hart — is suspected of assault, torture or neglect of defenseless individuals, threat to life or physical condition, rape and other sex crimes. He denies the allegations.

Despite being questioned weeks ago, he had been free and living in a senior citizens’ home until police detained him Thursday. Yesterday, an investigative judge ordered that he remain in custody at least until September 9.

Police said the man’s daughters — now 53 and 45 years old — have accused him of repeatedly raping them at their home between 1970 and May 2011. They said their father warned he would kill them if they resisted, occasionally threatening them with firearms.

They also said that their mother, who died three years ago, was also repeatedly abused.

The women told police that they escaped when their father fell after the older daughter pushed him during a rape attempt.

State prosecutor Ernestine Heger said that the two women would now be interrogated by her office and an experts would assess how “meaningful” their testimony is.

Police and local media originally said the suspect had allegedly kept the victims locked in a small room for 41 years, but later revised that version, suggesting they had some freedom of movement even though all three slept in one small room.

“They were seen in and around the house,” local police commander Martin Pumberger told state broadcaster ORF. “But the daughters were prohibited from any and all social contact.”

Pumberger said that the women’s accusations “are believable,” adding that they “are relieved that they were able to speak about their decades-long martyrdom”.