Court suspends burglary sentences as man completes rehabilitation

The court of appeal ordered a three-year suspension of prison sentences imposed on a man for burglaries and other offences, deeming that the court of first instance had not taken into account his successful completion of a drug rehabilitation programme. In a decision on October 15, made public on Tuesday, the court of appeal accepted the appellant’s request for suspended sentences. The man had admitted six of the ten charges, including burglaries, theft, possession of burglary tools, illegal possession of property and malicious damage. The court had imposed concurrent sentences, the longest being three years, and had dismissed the request for the suspension of sentences. In its decision, the court of appeal said the court of first instance had correctly taken into account the seriousness of the offences, the man’s criminal record and his immediate admission of guilt, as well as the fact that most of the items stolen had been returned to the owners. It found, however, that the successful completion of the rehabilitation programme at Ayia Skepi centre should have been taken into account. The man had remained at Ayia Skepi for a year, from June 2025 till June 2026. The court of appeal said suspending the sentences would be beneficial for the man and society. It decided that the sentences would remain intact but the remainder would be suspended for three years from the date of the ruling by the court of first instance.