Fourth suspect charged over violence which injured man

A fourth suspect has been charged in relation to last month’s incidents at Antonis Papadopoulos stadium in Larnaca which left one man with serious burns, police said on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old was one of the eight being sought in relation to the incidents, which took place on April 30 ahead of an Anorthosis-Apollon match.

He was called to Larnaca CID offices after his photograph was matched from his football fan card. After being interrogated he was charged in writing and released to be summoned to court on Friday.

Three more people aged 22, 31 and 30 had presented themselves to police in the past week, allegedly admitting their involvement in the incidents, and were all charged in writing and released to be summoned to court later.

The incidents drew widespread attention following the serious injury of a 20-year-old, who suffered burns on 45 per cent of his body.

Reports said fans of the two teams had started small fires with fireworks in a field opposite the stadium ahead of a match on Saturday, which were put out by police and the fire service.

But the injured man had been out walking his dog when he saw the fire and tried to put it out when a Molotov cocktail was thrown at him.

Investigations continue, with police spokesman Christos Andreou saying that investigations are “leading in a specific direction”.