The Bonn regional court has sentenced child psychiatrist and non-fiction author Michael Winterhoff to a suspended prison sentence of nine months for bodily harm. The chamber found the 71-year-old guilty of seven counts of intentional bodily harm and negligent bodily harm.

The defendant did prescribe the controversial psychotropic drug Pipamperone to children and young people for long-term treatment. Contrary to what the public prosecutor assumed, he did not do this to harm patients. Rather, the defendant “acted out of his own medical conviction and with healing intent,” said the judge.

The public prosecutor had demanded almost four years in prison

The public prosecutor’s office had demanded a prison sentence of three years and nine months for Winterhoff for grievous bodily harm. According to the prosecution, he prescribed Pipamperone to patients without medical necessity and did not inform guardians about possible side effects.

However, the court noted that the defendant clearly wanted to “avoid side effects of the medication”. He also obtained consent for the treatment from those with custody – but in the mistaken assumption that he had sufficiently informed them.

Winterhoff had rejected the accusations in the trial. His defense lawyers pleaded for acquittal. The verdict is not yet final.