VIENNA – In the early morning of April 13, violence broke out near a bar along Vienna’s Danube Canal. A 20-year-old woman stabbed another woman three times, leaving her badly injured. On Tuesday, a jury sentenced her to four years and nine months in prison for intentional grievous bodily harm. She will also be placed in a forensic psychiatric center. The verdict is not yet final.
The jury rejected the charge of attempted murder. Because the young woman already had a theft conviction, the new sentence was added, bringing her total prison time to about five years.
That night, she had been drinking vodka with a friend and had also taken cocaine. Outside the bar, they met a 27-year-old woman who had also been drinking heavily. When the older woman stumbled, the accused tried to help, but was met with insults and spit. After being shoved, the woman returned aggressively. The 20-year-old said she panicked, pulled a folding knife from her bra, and struck three times.
The victim suffered life-threatening wounds: a pierced shoulder blade, muscle damage, and bleeding into the chest. Doctors testified that without quick treatment, she would have died. She spent 12 days in the hospital and needed pain medication for months.
The attacker and her friend fled, discarding the knife and cleaning their hands in a subway restroom. Weeks later, security cameras led police to her.
A psychiatrist reported that the young woman suffers from borderline personality disorder and other issues, making her dangerous without treatment. She has started anti-violence training in prison.
The victim, found to have a blood alcohol level of 1.82, remembered nothing of the attack. She will receive €7,366 in damages from the accused.
