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RSS Feed General News03. 02. 12. - 17:00
Chain phantom jailed
A robber dubbed the "chain phantom", has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in Austria. Svetislav D. was arrested in 2009, after tying a woman up with chains in her private sauna and making off with her jewellery and money.
The 55-year-old was sentenced after a two-day trial and charged with armed robbery, attempted burglary and extortionate kidnapping. It has also been ordered that after serving his 20-year sentence, he is put in an institution for potentially dangerous offenders who could relapse.
According to prosecutor Karl Fischer, the man from Montenegro has committed crimes in various countries for a total of 41 years. He was extradited from Serbia in July 2010 after his arrest in the capital of Belgrade in March 2009.
The man committed a series of crimes in 2009 which earned him the title of the "chain phantom". In May 2009 the 55-year-old broke into a house of Christa L. in Pöchlarn, Austria and left her chained up in her sauna as he burgled the residence. A further attack took place that September in St. Andrä-Wördern in which he fired at the homeowner and threatened to kill her. This was then followed by the burglary of a couple’s house in October in Stetteldorf am Wagram. The wife was left chained in the shower and the husband taken hostage before he too was left tied up.
The criminal was examined by psychologist Adelheid Kastner who described him as a "professional criminal" who had known nothing else in his life and was likely to relapse. Another psychiatrist also testified to the post-traumatic stress disorder that many of his victims had suffered. Some of those affected were asked to testify in the first trial on Wednesday and were left in tears after explaining their experiences. "I did not think I would survive the whole thing," said the woman from Pöchlarn.
Due to his number of repeat offences and the fact that he is already convicted in Switzerland for similar crimes, he was sentenced to the maximum 20 years in prison. Svetislav D. has appealed the charges.
Austrian Times
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chain ouml sauna examined psychologist crimes criminal burglary relapse Svetislav trial woman Austria phantom offenders robber sentenced committed chlarn charged
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