The Regional Court of Hannover sentenced a 39-year-old man to 12 years in prison after finding him guilty of repeatedly drugging and sexually abusing his former partner. The court convicted him of 33 cases of aggravated rape, as well as seven cases of aggravated sexual coercion involving dangerous bodily harm and the unlawful recording of highly personal images. The judgment is not yet legally binding.
According to the court’s findings, the man secretly mixed prescription sleeping medication into drinks, usually tea, at the couple’s home in Ronnenberg near Hannover. He then carried out sexual acts while the woman was in a state close to unconsciousness. Some incidents lasted for hours. He recorded the acts on his mobile phone and shared some of the footage online.
The court also found the man guilty of five additional cases involving the recording of intimate images. He reportedly boasted about the abuse in chat groups, where he received encouragement, and sometimes acted on requests from other participants. The presiding judge described the video material examined by the court as “extremely disturbing” and said the acts involved particular humiliation.
The chamber relied mainly on a comprehensive confession, which it checked against the videos. The defendant had initially remained silent at the start of the trial, but his confession and expression of remorse were considered mitigating factors. The court found him fully criminally responsible.
The woman has suffered panic attacks and sleep disorders, according to the court’s findings. During the period of abuse, she experienced fatigue and dizziness without knowing their cause. Her lawyer, Christina Rust, also highlighted the continuing distress caused by the circulation of the recordings, saying the woman did not know where they still existed or when they might resurface.
The defendant’s lawyer, Marcin Raminski, described the sentence as very severe and said he would examine a possible appeal.
Sources: Der Spiegel.