The child sexual abuse sentence imposed on a father convicted of raping and abusing his minor daughter has been increased from 13 to 15 years by the Appeal Court, following an appeal by the Attorney General of the Republic.
Unanimous ruling after Attorney General’s appeal
According to an announcement by the Law Office of the Republic, the Attorney General filed an appeal arguing that the original sentence handed down by the Paphos Criminal Court was manifestly inadequate.
The Appeal Court issued a unanimous decision on 25 February 2026, increasing the concurrent prison terms from 13 to 15 years.
The defendant had been found guilty on six charges relating to rape and sexual abuse of a minor. A separate appeal lodged by the defendant against the original sentence was dismissed in its entirety.
Abuse of parental trust
The Appeal Court, in closed-door proceedings, ruled that its intervention was warranted given the seriousness of the offences.
In its decision, the Court stressed that the defendant was the father and sole guardian of the minor at the time, as the child’s mother was abroad. Instead of providing protection and safety, he abused his position of trust.
The Court also highlighted the severe and lasting consequences for the victim. The child was forced to leave her family home and be placed under the care of state services, and required hospitalisation due to the psychological impact of the abuse.
Supervisory and restriction orders remain
The original court orders remain in force. These include referral of the convicted individual to the Supervisory Authority for five years following his release.
For a period of ten years, he is also prohibited from residing in accommodation for children or near organised areas where children are present, from working in places frequented by children, and from providing any services to minors.
The case was handled on behalf of the Attorney General by Senior Public Prosecutor Irene Savva.
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