The Supreme Court has overturned the conviction of a 72 year old man who appealed a Nicosia Criminal Court decision which found him guilty of sexually abusing his nine year old granddaughter, philenews reported on Thursday
In a majority decision in July 2017, the Nicosia Criminal Court found the defendant guilty on 40 counts of sexual abuse and indecent assault of his granddaughter, aged nine years old at the time.
He was jailed for seven years for 20 counts of sexual abuse and 30 months on 20 counts of indecent assault, with the sentences running concurrently.
The defendant appealed the decision, saying it was flawed.
In its decision acquitting the defendant, the Supreme Court noted that the prosecution had failed to call any substantial prosecution witnesses and said it disagreed with the prosecution’s decision not to call the parents and brother of the girl to the stand.
The girl had confided in her teacher and then to five other people, including the school head, the police, a social worker and a clinical psychologist and had also testified in court.
