Ex-partner of ‘Gisele Pelicot 2.0’ husband whose wife died after ‘being drugged and raped by other men’ describes horrific abuse he subjected her and their pet dog to
The former partner of Robert Aichinger, an Austrian man accused of drugging his wife and handing her unconscious to other men for sex, has described a pattern of violent abuse she suffered during their relationship, including a broken jaw from a punching attack and severe beatings of their pet dog. Her account has emerged after Aichinger's current wife, Daniela Aichinger, 39, died on 25 June from injuries sustained during an alleged sexual assault, in a case Austrian prosecutors have dubbed "Pelicot 2.0" after the notorious French case involving Gisele Pelicot.
The 48-year-old ex-partner, who has not been named, told police her then-husband grew violent after the birth of their son, once punching her repeatedly in the face after she refused his request to have sex with other couples. Investigators say Robert Aichinger, 51, drugged Daniela repeatedly and offered her, unconscious, to men for up to 500 euros per session, including on the night she died, referring to her as "dead meat" in text messages. He initially claimed her death resulted from "rough sex" before phone evidence, including searches on how to drug someone, pointed to a darker explanation. A neighbour has also been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting Daniela twice, including on the night she died.
- Ex-partner describes husband's history of violent abuse before wife's death
- Robert Aichinger accused of drugging wife and selling her unconscious to men
- Neighbour also arrested over alleged assaults, including on the night she died
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Robert Aichinger, a 51-year-old Austrian man, is accused of repeatedly drugging his wife, Daniela Aichinger, and offering her, unconscious, to other men for sex in exchange for money. Daniela, 39, died on 25 June from injuries sustained during one of these alleged assaults. Austrian prosecutors have nicknamed the investigation "Pelicot 2.0", a reference to the French case of Gisele Pelicot, whose husband was convicted of drugging her and inviting men to abuse her over many years.
A neighbour has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting Daniela, including on the night she died, while Aichinger initially said her death followed "rough sex" before further evidence emerged. As the case has developed, people connected to Aichinger's past have come forward with further allegations about his behaviour, adding to the picture investigators and prosecutors are building of him.
One such account comes from a woman who was previously in a relationship with Aichinger and with whom he has a son. She has described violence she says she experienced during their relationship, including a serious physical assault and mistreatment of the couple's dog, predating his relationship with Daniela.