‘Illegal outing’ by teens ends in car chase, injured police and a remand hearing

Paphos district court on Saturday remanded two teenagers, 19 and 17, for three days and one day respectively after they injured two officers while trying to escape a police traffic check because they had not sent an SMS for their movement.

The teenagers are facing charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and misdemeanour, causing malicious damage, reckless and dangerous driving, and failure to stop after a signal from an officer in uniform.

According to the police, the teenagers were driving in Paphos around 1pm on Friday when officers signalled them to stop for a check.

Instead of slowing down, the car increased speed driving recklessly to escape the police car that followed them.

When the officers caught up with the teenagers and parked the car in front of their vehicle, the 19-year-old driver started the car to get away and sideswiped the police car, slightly injuring two officers.

The suspects attempted to escape again but one officer fired shots which stopped the boys in their tracks. They then tried to escape on foot but ultimately surrendered.

In court, their boys’ defence lawyers said they panicked because they had not sent an SMS to explain their reasons for going outside.