A liquid smelling of "urine" Man allegedly soiled neighbor's balcony furniture - dispute escalates

A man from Dielsdorf ZH stood trial for a foul-smelling liquid on his neighbor's balcony - and was acquitted due to a lack of evidence.

A dispute between neighbors kept the Dielsdorf ZH district court busy: A 44-year-old man was suspected of having poured a "urine-smelling liquid" onto his neighbor's balcony furniture. This is stated in the penalty order, which is available to the "Tages-Anzeiger".

The local authorities had issued a penalty order sentencing him to a fine of 300 francs and fees of 330 francs. The incident is said to have taken place on the night of 1 June 2025 and the neighbor's pillows had become unusable as a result.

The accused vehemently denied the accusation. He had received the penalty order without a hearing or evidence and was "shocked" by it. He said in court that he had never had any contact with his neighbor. He could not explain why she was accusing him - at best it was an act of revenge in connection with earlier accusations about damaged cars in the underground car park, the newspaper continues.

District court acquits man

The judge pointed out that a penalty order is initially issued without an in-depth investigation and only leads to ordinary proceedings if an appeal is lodged. However, according to the court, there were numerous contradictions in this case: unclear photos of evidence, discarded furniture and a lack of evidence about the origin of the liquid.

Due to insufficient evidence, the district court acquitted the man, according to the Tages-Anzeiger. The costs will be borne by the state. The verdict is not yet final. "Why the suspicion fell on you in the first place is a mystery to us," said the judge at the end - to which the acquitted man dryly remarked: "For me too."

The canton will bear the state costs. The verdict is not yet final.