Two of them were sentenced to six years in prison, while the third defendant was sentenced to four years and eight months. They must also pay the young woman 60,000 euros in compensation.
The Regional Court of Bolzano has ruled in the trial for the rape of a Finnish tourist in Val Gardena two years ago. Three seasonal workers from Kosovo, aged 21, 26 and 27, were found guilty, according to "albinfo".
The sentences were lower than those requested by the public prosecutor. The prosecutor had requested a sentence of ten years in prison for each and over 300,000 euros in damages. The civil party had also requested payment of this amount.
Difficulties arose during the proceedings regarding the opinion of an expert. The defense had requested that a lip reader analyze silent video recordings to clarify possible misunderstandings in the communication between the victim and the defendant. The defense ultimately requested an acquittal.
The crime occurred in January 2023, when the Finnish tourist was sexually assaulted several times. The reasoning for the decision will be announced within 90 days. The defense will then have the opportunity to appeal. The decision is not yet final.