A man who left his girlfriend, who was an “intergalactic” level in climbing experience, to freeze to death on Austria’s highest mountain last year has been found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter, authorities have announced.
The 37-year-old man, identified in local media as Thomas P., is accused of leaving his 33-year-old girlfriend, Kerstin G., alone in the Grossglockner mountain in Austria in the early hours of January 19, 2025, as she sought help.
The pair encountered difficulties trying to reach the top, but there were conflicting accounts in court about the defendant’s attempts to call for help. The ruling could impact their responsibility for the safety of climbers and their companions.
On Thursday evening, the Innsbruck District Court in western Austria sentenced Thomas P. to a five-month suspended prison sentence and a total fine of 9,600 euros (about $11,300), the court told CNN in a statement.
According to Austrian public broadcaster ORF, judge Norbert Hofer said the defendant’s girlfriend was a “galaxy” away from his mountaineering skills and that she thought he would be “responsible” to her.
The court said the maximum prison term for gross negligence manslaughter is three years.
In determining the defendant’s sentence, the defendant’s clean criminal history as well as the “loss of a relative” were taken into consideration as mitigating factors, according to a court statement.
“Public discussions on social media that were burdensome to the defendant were also taken into account,” the court statement added.
His lawyer Kurt Jelinek said Thomas P. denied any wrongdoing and said his girlfriend’s death was a “tragic accident” and that he was deeply saddened.
On Thursday, the court said the ruling was not final and could be appealed. “An appeal may be filed within three days and must be submitted in writing within four weeks thereafter.”
