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 13 May 2008 13:11 BST

Josef Fritzl appears before judge in Austria

Friday, 09 May 2008 13:24
Austrian man suspected of imprisoning daughter in cellar for 24 years due to appear in court
The Austrian man suspected of imprisoning his daughter for 24 years in a cellar has appeared before a judge for the second time in two weeks.

Josef Fritzl is expected to be detained for a further 14 days at his court appearance in St Poelten, the provincial capital of Lower Austria.

The 73-year-old, who has admitted keeping his daughter Elisabeth, now 42, captive in his cellar and fathering seven children with her, has been in custody since the end of April.

Despite his apparent confession, Mr Fritzl is yet to be charged with any offence.

At today's closed hearing, which will take place within the St Poelten prison – meaning Mr Fritzl will not appear in public at any time – the former electrical engineer is expected to plead insanity.

In comments relayed through his lawyer to Austrian media yesterday, Mr Fritzl blamed his "Nazi" upbringing and Elisabeth's partying and drinking for his actions.

"I needed to create a place in which I could at some point keep her away from the outside world, by force if necessary," Mr Fritzl told Austrian magazine News through his lawyer, Rudolf Mayer.

"She did not obey any rules, she hung around in dodgy bars all night, drank, smoked."End of story

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