Evil Josef Fritzl has been granted conditional release from a prison for the mentally ill following appeal.
The 88-year-old incest monster was snapped in a car as he arrived at Landesgericht District Court at 7.20am UK time for a hearing. The first time he's been seen outside prison for 15 years. It comes after he was allegedly seen visiting local cafes near Stein Prison in Krems an der Donau, Austria. He is set to be moved to a regular prison before he is eligible for release in March - though the decision is not yet legally binding.
He was jailed for life in 2009 after keeping his daughter, Elisabeth, as a sex slave, locked in the basement of his home in Amstetten, Austria, for 24 years and forcibly fathering seven children with her. Fritzl was convicted for incest, rape, enslavement, coercion and the murder, by neglect, of his newborn son.
Fritzl's face was seen outside prison for the first time on the morning of his court appearance (HEUTE/Sabine Hertel)After the court hearing today, Fritzl's attorney, Astrid Wagner, said after the hearing: "We were successful. It was a long hearing. He told again how he regrets what he did. He was actually close to tears. In summary, the court came to the conclusion that my client is actually no longer dangerous."
Newspaper Bezirksblatt claimed this week Fritzl "has been seen in different cafes of Krems". One staff member at the newspaper who has been covering the Fritzl case for many years told Newsflash that she had been "told by several people I fully trust that they have seen him", with "several trusted acquaintances" reporting sightings independently from each other.
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Judicial officials have refused to comment on the report. The pensioner is eligible for parole in March of this year under Austria's lenient sentencing laws. Inmates who are judged ready for parole can be freed, depending on their conduct and mental and physical condition.
Fritzl at Sankt Poelten Prison (CEN)Fritzl, who has repeatedly asked to be released, is set to have his case reviewed by justice and prison officials. As well as suffering from Alzheimer's disease, he is also said to be so frail that he now needs a walking frame to get around. Adelheid Kastner, one of Austria's most renowned psychiatrists, said Fritzl was no longer a threat to society and would be incapable of carrying out any crimes. Psychiatrists and medics continue to monitor his condition.
Fritzl, who changed his name to Mayrhoff in an alleged attempt to evade physical attacks by other inmates, has reportedly applied for an early release several times in the past two years. His lawyer Astrid Wagner, who last year published a book based on a series of his letters, suggested that a new life in a care home is "within the bounds of possibility".
She said: "I personally see a chance for a release. He fulfils all the criteria. This man is almost 90 years old and his mental condition is deteriorating. He needs support and care." She explained that she is able to communicate normally with him most of the time apart from the "odd lapses", including a delusion that his daughter had married Boris Becker. "The next time I saw him, he told me they had broken up", she said.
Josef Fritzl has been granted parole (Getty Images)Josef Fritzl repeatedly raped and abused his daughter Elisabeth, who gave birth to seven children. One, who died at birth with breathing difficulties, was heartlessly tossed in a furnace by Fritzl. Three were brought up in the basement with their mother, and three others were brought up as foundlings by sick Fritzl and his wife.
In his trial in 2009, Fritzl pleaded guilty to rape, false imprisonment, manslaughter by negligence and incest. She has since changed her name and has received support from the authorities in protecting her identity and the well-being of her children.
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