Former suspect admits setting fire to White Horse Inn

A former suspect has admitted setting fire to the former White Horse Inn in Gries am Brenner in 2010, ORF reported. He made the admission on Tuesday at Innsbruck Regional Court, where a civil case is examining the circumstances of the arson.

The Generali insurance company is suing the owner of the former listed inn, which was demolished after two fires because of its poor condition and safety concerns. Generali is seeking the return of more than 500,000 euros it paid out after the 2010 fire.

The insurer’s claim is based on the witness’s statement that the owner allegedly commissioned him to start the fire. The man had been investigated as a suspect after the blaze but was acquitted in a criminal trial after reportedly providing an alibi.

Because the arson case is now time-barred, he can no longer face a criminal conviction. He told the civil court that the alibi was false and that he had spent the night of the fire with a woman. She confirmed this in court on Tuesday.

The witness, who described himself as a former professional criminal, said the owner had offered him 10,000 euros to start the fire.

A retired Innsbruck lawyer also played a central role in the civil case. After reviewing the criminal trial file, he said he had found errors in the proceedings that had led to the acquittal. During his testimony, the court also heard that a proposal had been discussed to provide the witness, now a single father, with a legally protected 50,000-euro financial provision for his son if he told the truth.

The owner rejected the witnesses’ statements. He said he had not commissioned the fire, had no contact with the man and had never offered him money. He also maintained that he had made an accurate claim to the insurance company.

The proceedings, in which the red-light milieu also featured, were held under police presence. It was unclear on Tuesday afternoon whether the judge would issue a ruling that day. The decision on the insurer’s claim could also be delivered in writing.