Vienna prosecutors indict former train driver over abuse allegations

Vienna prosecutors have filed an indictment against a former train driver accused of sexually abusing boys under the age of 14, ORF reports. The indictment covers nine complainants, most of whom the man is alleged to have met while volunteering at a railway museum in Lower Austria.

The alleged offences took place between 2009 and 2021, over a period of 12 years. The youngest alleged victims were 13 at the time.

The man is charged with serious sexual abuse of minors in two cases and sexual abuse of minors in another. Prosecutors classified the remaining cases as violations of sexual self-determination or sexual harassment.

The indictment was filed with the Vienna Regional Criminal Court last week. It is not yet legally binding, and the defence has 14 days after receiving it to lodge an objection.

According to the indictment, the man met almost all of the complainants through his voluntary work at the Strasshof an der Nordbahn railway museum in the Gänserndorf district. Most of the boys were railway enthusiasts, giving him opportunities to speak with them. He is alleged to have gained their trust before the reported incidents and, in some cases, sexual acts took place.

The investigation began after a complainant who is now an adult filed a report in spring 2025 and described incidents he said had happened to him as a teenager. The train driver was subsequently suspended by Austrian Federal Railways. Dismissal proceedings are reportedly pending before the labour court.

The museum operator said it was deeply shocked when the allegations against the long-serving employee became known last October. It created an ombudsman’s office as an immediate measure and said it was cooperating with law enforcement authorities in investigating the events.