Commando squadron officer Marinos Ioannou will be handed his sentence on June 30, for the death of 27-year-old soldier Panayiotis Yiannios, who was critically injured during a helicopter training exercise in June 2022.

Ioannou was found guilty on June 10, and his defence presented a written speech for mitigation on Thursday.

Defence lawyer Andreas Frangos conveyed the defendant’s sincere condolences to the family of Panayiotis Yiannios and stressed that Ioannou was the first to jump into the sea to help him, risking his own life, gave first aid and stayed with Yiannios in the boat the whole time, “which does not indicate a person interested in no one but himself”.

The defence also stated that Ioannou has three children, one of which is underaged, and referred to his financial situation and clear criminal record, as well as the time it had taken to try the case, circumstances he pleaded be taken into account.

“Any prison sentence will lead to a family breakdown,” Frangos added.

Frangos also requested that in the event of a prison sentence, it be suspended.

He said his client had made a momentary error, for which he could be fined and not imprisoned.

A letter by current and former commanders, calling for leniency, was also read out in court.

Frangos said Ioannou was an exemplary officer with extensive qualifications and training.

The decision will be announced on Monday, June 30, at 9.30am.

Yiannios had jumped from a helicopter, at a height of about eight metres, as part of a scheduled exercise, landing in the sea in Lara area of Akamas.

He was rescued by a boat, according to the scenario of the exercise, but was then found unconscious.

The soldier was taken to the intensive care unit at Nicosia general hospital in critical condition and later died.

He had been intubated and placed in a medically induced coma after suffering brain swelling and spine fractures during the accident.

The defendant was responsible for the helicopter drop and was found guilty by the Nicosia military court of causing death due to a reckless or dangerous act.

Head of the court, judge Christodoulos Hadjieftychiou said on June 10 that “the cumulative result suggests that the accused instructed Yiannios to jump into the sea”.

“The defendant’s action created a dangerous situation, because only the captain knew the height of the helicopter,” the judge said.

“The defendant’s act was reckless, thoughtless and dangerous” and that “the essential cause of death was the order given by the defendant”.

In its ruling, the court said the arguments given by the defence were “unfounded” and that the testimony presented by the prosecution was “reliable”.