Vienna: Seven youths aged between 14 and 17 went on trial in Vienna, charged with the sexual abuse and blackmail of a teacher, as well as starting a fire in her flat, where the crimes are alleged to have occurred. The prosecution alleges that different members of the gang committed the crimes on different occasions.

According to Ghana News Agency, the trial is expected to last until October 20 and is being held amid a public debate on stiffening the law on sex crimes. This follows the recent acquittal of 10 youths accused of sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl at the end of September.

In the current case, the alleged crimes took place after the teacher, in her late 20s, began a consensual relationship with a former pupil in April 2024. The youth was older than 14 at the time, making the relationship legal. However, from May 2024, the youth began visiting the teacher with friends, who reportedly claimed to be members of a criminal gang and intimidated her.

The youths are accused of consuming drugs with the teacher and sexually abusing her while she was under the influence. The gang allegedly used threats of revealing the sex and drugs activities to the teacher’s school to extort food, drink, tobacco, and taxi trips, and money was also reportedly stolen.

The teacher’s flat was set on fire in January while she was abroad. The defence denies any abuse, claiming the sex acts were consensual, although the accused have admitted to theft, drug taking, and setting the fire.