Charges filed against comedian Gunkl in alleged abuse case

Charges have been filed against Austrian comedian Günther Paal, known as Gunkl, over allegations that he sexually abused his former partner’s five-year-old daughter, ORF reported on Wednesday. Charges have also been filed against the child’s mother and grandmother, who are accused of serious extortion.

Paal is being investigated for sexual abuse of a minor and possession of sexual child abuse material. The offence carries a potential prison sentence of six months to five years. He remains at liberty.

According to information obtained by ORF, the alleged abuse occurred about two years ago. Paal’s lawyer, Florian Höllwarth, said it was a one-time incident.

The child’s mother allegedly chose not to report Paal and instead extorted him together with her own mother, according to Ö1’s midday news programme. The prosecution has not confirmed details of the allegations, but confirmed that both women were arrested. They are also facing charges, Ö1 reported.

The women are being investigated for serious extortion, involving a total of about 100,000 euros. If convicted, they face between one and 10 years in prison. They have been held in pre-trial detention since early June and early July respectively, due to concerns that they could commit further offences or interfere with the investigation.