The Attorney General of Cyprus rejected the request to halt the case of an English father accused of negligence in the death of his 3-year-old son. This father, who is facing charges of negligence following his son's fall from a hotel window in Cyprus during a family holiday, expressed his dissatisfaction in court on Thursday that his request based on humanitarian grounds was denied.
Details of the Incident and Case Status
The 37-year-old defendant, whose name has not been disclosed by authorities, was present at the courthouse in Paphos on Thursday and had come to court with his parents. He was to respond to charges of one count of death caused by negligent actions. However, Judge Frosso Christodoulides accepted his request for a delay in the proceedings and set a new date for next Tuesday.
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His lawyer, Alexandros Alexandrou, stated that he was surprised by the Attorney General's rejection of the request to halt the case, George Savides. He added that the Attorney General, despite understanding the defendant's grief, believes that the case should proceed in the interest of public welfare.
The Fall and Its Consequences
This father and his family had spent a few days of their holiday in the tourist city of Paphos in southwestern Cyprus in July when his son fell from the fourth-floor window of the hotel. The exact details of the incident remain unclear.
The court lifted all travel restrictions imposed on the defendant last month so that he could attend his son's funeral and be with his family in the UK. Lawyer Alexandrou stated that his client returned to Cyprus a few days ago.
The lawyer indicated that if his client decides to plead not guilty and the proceedings take longer than two to three weeks, he may request the court to allow for frequent travel to the UK, as his older daughter needs him.
Alexandrou also stated that his client faces a maximum prison sentence of four years, which may be served in the UK, and the minimum penalty will include a fine. According to him, for the judge to issue a suspended sentence, his client must be convicted of at least three years in prison.
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Source: abcnews.com
