A 49-year-old man from Sweden was on Monday sentenced to 18 months in prison after having escaped from police custody at a private clinic in Larnaca in December.

The man had stood accused of financial crimes amounting to around €90 million in his home country, and was initially detained in Cyprus on December 6 last year after the Swedish authorities had issued a European arrest warrant against him.

He had then complained of acute gastroenteritis and chest pain and was kept in custody at a private clinic in Larnaca until he escaped on December 22.

The following day, he was found and arrested on the fifth floor of an under-construction block of flats in the centre of Larnaca.

The man is now a prosecution witness in the case against his 54-year-old lawyer, who is accused of having aided and abetted his escape.

The lawyer and a police officer also accused of aiding and abetting his escape both pleaded guilty to the six charges they face.

The case against the police officer and the lawyer will continue on June 23.