An 82-year-old man was sentenced today for shooting a 67-year-old would-be thief, who was attempting to steal electrical cables from his house on June 11, 2023, in Alassa.
The Limassol Criminal Court handed down a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence to the defendant for acts intended to inflict grievous bodily harm.
Additionally, a one-year sentence was imposed for carrying and using a firearm, with the court ordering its confiscation. The sentences are to be served concurrently.
The court rejected the possibility of suspending the sentence. The verdict was met with tears from the defendant’s family members.
Previously, the defendant had admitted guilt to charges of intending to cause serious bodily harm and the carrying and usage of a firearm.
Initially facing an attempted murder charge, the case was downgraded and dismissed with the agreement of the Attorney General.
In its judgment, the court considered several mitigating factors, including the defendant’s immediate admission of guilt, cooperation with law enforcement, expressed remorse, and lack of previous criminal convictions. The defendant’s age and health issues were also taken into account.
Despite these, the court stressed the importance of not undermining the law’s authority or sending a lenient message to potential offenders.
The incident occurred when the defendant, noticing a power cut at his home, went outside with his hunting rifle to see what was happening.
He encountered an unknown individual tampering with his property’s electrical wiring. In a confrontation that ensued, the 82-year-old fired his weapon to intimidate the intruder and injured him unintentionally, as the court found.
Following the shooting, the defendant reported the incident to the police and informed his family members.
The injured man was hospitalised with severe back injuries, requiring intensive care for several days.
This incident followed a previous theft of cables from the defendant’s property just two days earlier.
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