The actor who played Emperor Franz Joseph in a biopic of Princess Sisi was today given a two-year suspended prison sentence for possession and production of child pornography, in a case that shocked Austria.

Florian Teichtmeister, 43, will also undergo “psychiatric treatment” to help him control his pedantic tendencies. If he does not comply with the conditions imposed by the Austrian court, he will be sent to a detention center for sex offenders.

“I sincerely and deeply regret my actions and I apologize,” the actor, who appeared in court dressed in a charcoal suit, said earlier during his apology. Thanks to the treatment he began two years ago, when the investigation against him began, he said he now understands that “behind every image is sexual violence.”

According to the indictment, between February 2008 and August 2021, the Corsage star collected “approximately 76,000 files” online, more than half of which depicted minor victims between the ages of 7 and 14. He modified many of them himself, collage or montage the images.

Through his lawyer, the actor said he was relieved after the decision was announced and stressed that he “will work hard to make sure this never happens again.”

Prosecutor Julia Kalmar had asked for Teichtmeister to be sent to prison to send a message that “such acts are not tolerated”. “Consumers determine the market, even if Florian Teichtmeister did not abuse a child himself,” he emphasized.

Tight security measures had been put in place around the court to avoid any incidents with protesters who had gathered there.

Corsage is set to hit theaters in 2022. The production company clarified that filming took place before the Teichtmeister rumors began to circulate in the fall of 2021. The film has been screened at nearly 70 festivals around the world and the actor, who said innocent, he was invited to the premieres in Austria and Germany.

On the occasion of this case the Austrian government proposed the revision of the penal code which is to be approved by the parliament this autumn. Penalties for such offences, which have been described as “ludicrously low” by the political world, will be toughened and a 10-year sentence will be imposed for the production of “large numbers” of child pornography images.