The Larnaca - Famagusta Permanent Criminal Court today imposed concurrent prison sentences, the maximum of 20 years, on a defendant who was found guilty of the offences of sexual abuse of a minor, including rape, indecent assault and assault with actual bodily harm.
The defendant was found guilty by the Court on all 26 charges he faced.
Finding all of the Prosecution witnesses to be credible, the Court, in its multi-page judgment, states, inter alia:
"It must however be stated prominently that although [...] severe and dissuasive penalties are imposed for this type of offences and the penalties are becoming increasingly severe, nevertheless they have not been able to deter the commission of such offences against children [...]. Therefore, as the commission of this type of offences against children continues to increase to a point of alarming, unabated intensity, the more severe and deterrent penalties must be imposed (increased penalties), so that it is possible to succeed not only in preventing the offender himself from repeating the offence or other similar offences, but also in deterring other would-be criminals."
The offences were committed between December 2020 and July 2021.
The proceedings were conducted in camera due to the nature and age of the victim.
On behalf of the Attorney General of the Republic, the case was handled by Mr. Marios Koutsoftas, Attorney of the Republic.
(MΛ)
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