Two years in jail for killer driver

The Limassol district court on Thursday sentenced a 25-year-old to two years in prison for a fatal traffic accident that took place on July 10, 2020, resulting in the death of 19-year-old Marilena Perikleous.

The accident occurred when the driver overtook a car between Platres and Limassol at a point in the road where it was prohibited, colliding with another vehicle in which the 19-year-old was a passenger. She was critically injured in the crash and died five days later.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to charges of causing death due to reckless behaviour and illegal overtaking, the second which implied “ignoring the serious risk of causing an accident,” according to the judge.

The judge also dismissed the fact that the defendant apologised to the victim’s family, which had prompted his lawyer to ask for a reduced sentence at an earlier court session.

“Since the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, he cannot benefit from a reduced sentence,” the judge said on Thursday.

In imposing the sentence, the court took into account among other factors the defendant’s mental health, his clean criminal record, his young age and the three and a half years that had elapsed since the accident.

On top of the two-year prison sentence, the court also imposed a three-month driving license suspension from the day of his future release and ten penalty points.

The victim’s family was at court for the trial and protested after the verdict, calling the sentence “inadequate” in remarks to the media.