- The suspect was released from custody on Monday and he will face a trial in Tyrol, according to a report
The Brit accused of gnawing off part of another UK tourist’s nose during a brawl in an Austrian ski resort is facing up to ten years in jail if found guilty, according to a report.
The fight broke out in the resort of St. Anton earlier this month, starting in a bar but ending up on the street, where punches and kicks were thrown and ultimately, the biting occurred.
After the brawl was broken up, the victim of the assault, a 29-year-old man, was taken to the hospital whilst the attackers escaped into the nearby pedestrian area of St. Anton am Arlberg.
Days later, the alleged attacker was arrested after a police search and was taken to Innsbruck Prison.
The suspect was released from custody on Monday, ORF Tirol reports.
The 50-year-old Brit who bit off a fellow Brit’s nose at St Anton ski resort has been caught by Austrian police after initially escaping without a trace (Stock Image)
The public prosecutor’s office has now filed charges against him, but they are not yet legally binding, according to the publication.
After the suspect was tracked down and arrested, he was sentenced to pre-trial detention.
The suspect’s lawyer, Mathias Holzmann, lodged a complaint against this and the Higher Regional Court upheld this appeal and he was released, ORF Tirol reports.
The 50-year-old has now returned to the UK with his family and he will face a trial in Tyrol, the lawyer told the publication.
The Brit was indicted for intentionally causing serious bodily harm and the charges are based partly on a surveillance video that shows the crime, ORF Tirol reports.
During the investigation, the suspect denied the allegations or claimed that he was only defending himself, according to the publication.
His lawyer told ORF that the 50-year-old would comment on this in his trial.
The victim required surgery after the violent incident. He underwent a plastic surgical procedure, including a skin flap transplant, according to the public prosecutor’s office.
A police spokesman said after the suspect was arrested: ‘Based on extensive investigations and tips from the public, three British holiday guests – 50, 50 and 67 years old – were identified as the perpetrators.
‘The 50-year-old main perpetrator was arrested on the orders of the Innsbruck public prosecutor’s office and taken to the Innsbruck prison.’
The resort of St Anton is known for its wild party life and brawls are not uncommon.
The case comes at a time when skiers are facing the effects of a mild winter that has led to many slopes becoming entirely snowless.
