Jailed Austrian incest monster Josef Fritzl could soon be released after an expert ruled that he is no longer a danger to the public, it has emerged.
Depraved Fritzl, 88, was jailed for life in 2009 after admitting he had kept his daughter Elisabeth locked in the cellar as his sex slave for 24 years.
His daughter disappeared in 1984 at the age of 18, and would not reappear until April 26, 2008, when she was discovered.
During her ordeal under the family home in Amstetten in the state of Lower Austria, Fritzl fathered seven children with her in a case that shocked Austria and the world.
Local media have reported that he seems confused, regularly talks to the television, thinks he is a pop star and speaks of visits from relatives that never happened.
He changed his name to Mayrhoff after his teeth were kicked out by other inmates at Garsten Abbey, a former monastery converted into a secure psychiatric unit.
Jailed Austrian incest monster Josef Fritzl (pictured in 2009) could soon be released after an expert ruled that he is no longer a danger to the public, it has emerged
Fritzl repeatedly raped his daughter Elisabeth (pictured), fathering seven incestuous children with her during her captivity
The abuse, which began with him rendering Elisabeth unconscious with a rag soaked in ether, culminated in the birth of seven children – three of which remained in captivity with their mother.
One died at the hands of Fritzl, a matter of days after being born. His disposed of the body in an incinerator.
The other three were brought up Fritzl and his wife, Rosemarie.
He was arrested in 2008 on suspicion of rape, false imprisonment and manslaughter by negligence after taking Kerstin, Elisabeth’s eldest daughter, to the hospital.
In March 2009, he pleaded guilty to all counts and was sentenced to live imprisonment.
Under the terms of his sentence, Fritzl will be eligible for parole this year.
And that seems likely now after a new psychiatric report into the state of his mind says that the cellar monster is no longer dangerous.
The report says he can barely walk and needs a walking frame to get around after a number of falls while behind bars.
They say he could not pose a serious threat to either his old or new victims.
If Fritzl’s wish is granted, he would most likely released into a nursing home to live out the rest of his days in comfort.
Depraved Fritzl, 88, was jailed for life in 2009 after admitting he had kept his daughter Elisabeth locked in a cellar (pictured) as his sex slave for 24 years
During her ordeal under the family home in Amstetten in the state of Lower Austria, Fritzl fathered seven children with her in a case that shocked Austria and the world
Heidi Kastner, one of Austria’s leading forensic psychiatric experts from Linz University, has reportedly spent a year preparing her new study of Fritzl.
She concluded that the country’s most notorious prisoner no longer poses any danger, and that there is no longer any risk of him carrying out any criminal activity.
She believes he could be transferred through the normal prison system at the Krems-Stein jail, as part of a first step towards being released.
At the very least, it is understood that Kastner feels there is no reason to hold him in a facility housing the most dangerous offenders, on account of his age and frailty.
However, due to his poor condition, Kleine Zeitung reports that due to his poor health, there are questions over whether moving him to a new prison is sensible.
It is more likely, the newspaper reports, that he will be transferred to a nursing home.
‘I am already in the process of obtaining a conditional discharge for him,’ Fritzl’s lawyer Astrid Wagner told Austria’s Kronen Zeitung.
‘If the application is approved – which I assume will be the case – I would like to ensure that he gets a place in a home for frail people.’
Josef Fritzl pleaded guilty to rape, false imprisonment, manslaughter by negligence and incest, and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years
Pictured: Scene outside the house where Elisabeth was raped and held prisoner
Three of the seven children were brought up by Fritzl and his wife Rosemarie (pictured together), while three lived in the basement. The other died at birth.
Fritzl, who changed his name to Mayrhoff six years ago, is reportedly suffering from dementia. Pictured: Fritzl at Sankt Poelten Prison
Kleine Zeitung also reports that while its have been noted he often makes incoherent remarks, he has also spoken about having an unknown son.
This, the newspaper reports, could have some grounding in reality.
It reports that a man from Austria contacted Fritzl a few months ago and said that he was his father. The report says Frtizl had an affair with the man’s mother, which would coincide with the date of the unknown son’s birth.
Zeitung said a DNA test could be undertaken to establish the truth of the matter.