In a shocking development, Josef Fritzl, infamously known as the “incest monster”, has been granted conditional release from a mental health prison by an Austrian court. The 88-year-old, serving a life sentence for the horrifying crimes of rape, enslavement, and the murder, by neglect, of his newborn son, was spotted outside of prison for the first time in 15 years.
Reports indicate that Fritzl, who recently changed his name to Mayrhoff to avoid physical attacks from fellow prisoners, was seen casually enjoying coffee in local cafes earlier this week. The court’s decision to release him comes as a surprise, considering the gravity of his crimes.
Images captured today through the window of a police van show Fritzl being escorted through the back of the Landesgericht District Court at 7.20 am. The photos mark the first public appearance of the convicted criminal in years, raising concerns and stirring emotions among the public.
Fritzl, who had imprisoned his daughter Elisabeth in an underground dungeon for 24 years, admitted to fathering seven children with her. He has been incarcerated since 2009, battling severe dementia. The court’s determination that he is no longer a threat due to his mental condition has paved the way for his conditional release.
Following the court hearing, Fritzl’s legal representatives revealed that he would be transferred from the mental health prison to a regular facility, potentially signalling the precursor to his complete release.
Eligible for parole in March, Fritzl’s attorneys shared his remorse during the proceedings.
More to follow…
We’ll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story.
For the latest news and breaking news visit: /news
Stay up to date with all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you.
Follow our social media accounts here on facebook.com/DailyExpress and @Daily_Express
