A 22-year-old Pakistani national has been handed the maximum life sentence by the Vienna Regional Court after targeting a random victim, beating him to death, and filming the fatal blows. However, the Pakistani will not serve his sentence in a prison. Instead, because the man was diagnosed as a “sadist,” the judge ordered the man to spend his time in a “forensic therapeutic center,” which features better living conditions than a high-security prison, including sports activities, educational opportunities, and better housing accommodations.
The case dates back to May 2024, when the defendant encountered a 27-year-old man from Bangladesh who, according to the prosecutor, “suffered from schizophrenia and was often outside at night to take walks“ in the Vienna-Favoriten district. Without provocation, the defendant pushed the mentally ill victim against a fence and beat him until he lay motionless on the asphalt.
During the trial, attendees reacted with visible distress as mobile phone footage was played showing the defendant kicking the blood-soaked victim in the face. When confronted with the evidence of his actions, the 22-year-old said without emotion: “I can’t say anything about that.“
The victim, who was described as being in the wrong place at the wrong time, passed away in the hospital two days after the assault.
In addition to the fatal attack, the court viewed videos of the defendant assaulting homeless individuals and other people on the street, which were also found on his phone.
Hofmann suggested these recordings served as trophies and indicated a desire for the exercise of power and murder. Regarding the defendant’s emotional state, the psychiatrist stated, “There is zero empathy for the victims.”
Remarkably, the suspect filmed the murder himself, with even his own legal representation finding the evidence difficult to address.
Lawyer Werner Tomanek noted that “this exceeds some limits, even for us as criminal defense attorneys. To sugarcoat or downplay a defense in the sense of anything is completely inappropriate here.“
Throughout the questioning, the defendant remained uncommunicative, repeatedly stating, “I can’t explain any of this to myself.“
Forensic psychiatrist Peter Hofmann provided a professional analysis of the perpetrator, diagnosing a combined narcissistic-sadistic personality disorder and labeling him a serial offender. This psychological profile, which labeled him a “sadist” and a “narcissist,” is what enabled the man to escape a high-security prison.
Due to the extreme level of danger the defendant poses, Hofmann recommended placement in a forensic therapeutic center.
The presiding judge agreed, handing down a sentence of life imprisonment along with the therapeutic placement.
In the justification for the ruling, the judge remarked, “There can be no other punishment for this act,“ further adding that “we have a debt level here that is so high that the mitigating factors are not sufficient to deviate from life imprisonment. This is an act whose level of aggression leaves one stunned and at a loss for words.“
The judgment is not yet final.
Forensic centers feature a number of advantages over high-security prisons in Austria. Inmates often live in residential groups rather than isolated cells. These units frequently have communal kitchens, living areas with sofas, and dining tables to foster a more “normal” social environment.
Due to a much higher staff-to-patient ratio, these patients often enjoy extra support, including from psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, and psychiatric nurses.
Furthermore, the endless hours spent in cells typically seen in prisons are much reduced. There is a much heavier emphasis on therapy, sports, and educational courses. The goal is to keep the patient constantly engaged in a “structured daily routine” to stabilize their mental state.
