Vienna court tries 47‑year‑old for large‑scale cyber‑grooming of minors

A 47‑year‑old man is on trial at the Wiener Landesgericht for an extensive cyber‑grooming operation that targeted three under‑age girls between May and December 2024. Using Instagram, he posed as a 13‑year‑old girl, contacted the victims during their public live streams, and persuaded them to perform sexual acts, record them and send the material via messenger services. The prosecution says the offender obtained thousands of files of child sexual abuse material, some of which were uploaded to the dark‑net.

The court hearing, scheduled for 10 June, lists charges of aggravated sexual abuse of minors, possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material, and attempted sexual coercion. A psychiatric report describes the defendant as having a “firm pedophilic deviation” and a high risk of reoffending. If convicted, he faces up to ten years in prison and possible placement in a forensic‑therapeutic facility.