A Vienna court has sentenced four young men to prison after they brutally attacked and robbed a supermarket owner, leaving the victim deeply shaken and fearful even a year later, according to ORF News.
The Vienna Regional Court handed down final verdicts to the group, aged between 17 and 24, describing the crime as a “violent and unnecessary” robbery. The judge noted that, given their numbers, the attack could have been carried out without violence.
Two of the defendants, aged 21 and 23, received prison terms of four and a half years. A 17-year-old was sentenced to 32 months in prison. The oldest, aged 24, who acted as a lookout, was given a three-year partially suspended sentence, with two years conditional under a three-year probation period.
The attack took place in June 2025 in Vienna’s Simmering district. The assailants had waited for the 54-year-old shop owner in the garage of his apartment building, knowing he often carried large amounts of cash. When he arrived, they beat and kicked him, including blows to the head, and sprayed him with pepper spray.
They stole his phone, car key, and a wallet containing €4,000 in cash. Two of the attackers later claimed they were under the influence of drugs at the time.
All four men confessed in court. The first defendant was identified through DNA evidence and helped investigators solve the case. While some attempted to shift blame onto each other during the trial, all ultimately admitted their involvement.
The victim described a terrifying experience. “I was badly beaten,” he told the court. “Even when I was on the ground, they did not stop.” He said the attackers searched him and took everything they could find.
Nearly a year later, the impact remains severe. The man said he lost more than 20 kilograms and has since moved to Syria, where he now feels safer. He returned to Vienna only to testify.
The court ordered compensation payments, with the main attacker required to pay around €4,000, while the others must pay a total of €9,100.
Two of the convicted men had previously been acquitted in a separate case involving alleged sexual offenses against a 12-year-old girl due to lack of evidence.
