Cyprus’ Supreme Court has rejected a sentence appeal in an abuse case involving a 9-year-old girl, upholding the 2.5-year prison term given to a 36-year-old man.
The man had sought to challenge both the conviction and the sentence imposed by the Assize Court, citing alleged inconsistencies in witness testimony and claiming that his personal circumstances had not been taken into account. The court dismissed these arguments, ruling that no compelling evidence had been presented to justify a reduction.
According to the facts of the case, the man- who was married to the child’s grandmother- abused the girl during a school holiday while she was staying at her grandmother’s home. The victim disclosed the incident two years later during a psychological evaluation, which led to a police report.
In its ruling, the Appeals Court stressed that crimes of this nature are not only on the rise, but now represent a “social scourge” in Cyprus. It noted that the sentence appeal in this abuse case failed to account for the need for deterrent sentencing and that “crimes against children, society, and civilisation” warrant especially strict penalties.
Seven additional charges involving three other minors were suspended after their parents declined to allow them to testify in court.
Read also: 12-year-old girl reports abduction and assault attempt in Paphos
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