Process - 74-year-old allegedly castrated men in his living room
A 74-year-old man with no medical training is alleged to have offered and carried out castrations and other surgical procedures in return for payment. As a result, the man from Sömmerda in Thuringia has to answer for grievous bodily harm at Erfurt District Court since today.
In order to protect the victims, the indictment was read out in camera. The 74-year-old is alleged to have carried out interventions in eight cases. Seven men from different regions of Germany are said to have been affected, according to the public prosecutor's office. The 74-year-old is charged with, among other things, grievous bodily harm, as the victims are said to have permanently lost their ability to reproduce.
Castrations offered on the internet
The accused allegedly offered his services on internet forums and carried out the procedures in the living room of his home. The procedures allegedly included the amputation of testicles and penis. The men concerned are said to have paid between 500 and 2200 euros for the operations.
The public prosecutor's office assumes that the acts are punishable, even if the men concerned agreed to them themselves. In the event of a conviction, the range of punishment is between three and 15 years, according to the public prosecutor's office.
The accused himself remained silent at the start of the trial. However, his defense lawyer stated that the man would make a statement during the further course of the trial if necessary. It is unclear when the trial will continue. The accused is ill himself and is planning to undergo an operation.
Reminiscent of a case from Bavaria
The key data is reminiscent of a case from Bavaria: in December 2021, a then 67-year-old electrician was sentenced to more than eight years in prison for grievous, dangerous and simple bodily harm at Munich II Regional Court. He had admitted to offering "castrations" on sadist forums on the internet. Several men paid him money to torture them and remove their testicles, for example. One of the men died after the procedure - the court was unable to find out why.
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The alleged castrations took place in Thuringia, specifically in Sömmerda. The 74-year-old is accused of carrying out grievous bodily harm, permanently affecting the men's ability to reproduce. The procedures were reportedly offered and conducted in his living room, with fees ranging from 500 to 2200 euros. The public prosecutor's office in Erfurt is handling the case. Seven men from various parts of Germany are said to have been affected by these actions. The proceedings are taking place at Erfurt District Court, and the defendant has remained silent so far. The trial resumption date is uncertain due to the accused's ill health, who is planning an operation.
Source: www.stern.de
