Krems: Austrian incest offender Josef Fritzl will not be released early from his life sentence for the time being. The regional court in the town of Krems rejected the application submitted by his lawyer, a court spokesman told dpa on Monday. The APA news agency had earlier reported on the decision, which is not yet legally binding.
According to Ghana News Agency, the court argued that the 90-year-old sex offender would have no social environment in which to live if he were released. It also stated that Fritzl continues to develop aggressive delusions towards family members. Fritzl's infamous crime began in 1984 when he locked his then 18-year-old daughter in the basement of his house. Over the next 24 years, he raped her thousands of times and fathered seven children with her. One of them died soon after birth.
In March 2009, Fritzl was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder by omission, rape, deprivation of liberty, aggravated coercion, slavery, and incest. He has since taken on a different name. Fritzl's lawyer told the APA that she intends to appeal against the latest decision by the regional court. If the release is also rejected in the second instance, she could submit a new application next year.
The Krems Regional Court also rejected early release last year. However, the court approved Fritzl's transfer from a secure psychiatric hospital to a normal prison.
