The accused always came in a wheelchair: In a trial for drug smuggling, the Aachen Regional Court sentenced a former reality TV actor to 14 years in prison on Monday. According to the court, the 61-year-old provided the vehicles and couriers for the drug trips through half of Europe.

In all, more than a ton of cocaine was involved. According to the court, the evidence is overwhelming and is based on telephone surveillance, the tracking of cell phones and cars, and on-site observations. Among other things, luxury cars such as Porsche and Maserati are said to have been used to transport the coke. The accusation was illicit trafficking in narcotics in large quantities. Up to 15 years imprisonment. The prosecution asked for a sentence of 14 years imprisonment, the defense wanted an acquittal or a light sentence.

Sometimes battered, sometimes agile

The defendant's health played a major role in the trial. For more than 40 days of negotiations, the former Mallorca emigrant sat in the wheelchair at the dock in the TV show "Goodbye Germany". Former reality actor Jürgen Albers followed the process bent over and sunk in on himself.

Because of his unstable health and various previous illnesses, the trial days had been shortened. However, the presiding judge also spoke of manipulative behavior on the part of the accused and of "being wide awake when it was in his interest". Because there were pictures that showed a comparatively agile man despite his illnesses and others in which he came to court with the walker.

"A little artist of life"

One of his two defense attorneys described his client as open to all professional activities and "a bit of a life artist". This included trying to set up a nightclub on Mallorca, car rental, an appraisal office and working as an author.

In addition, the 61-year-old founded a company for the import of tropical fruits. However, cocaine should be smuggled in the container, as the court explained. In his half-hour last word, Albers explained that Asian restaurants should be supplied with fruit. The court rejected the reasoning.

The trial against Albers and four other co-defendants began at the end of August 2022. The two men and two women were sentenced to between two years probation and eight years in prison in a separate trial earlier months ago.

The defendant's attorney announced an appeal. The presumption of innocence applies to the accused until the final conclusion of the proceedings.