Appellate court suspends prison sentences for 50-year-old in robbery case

The Court of Appeal has overturned a lower court decision, granting a three-year suspension to the prison sentences of a 50-year-old man convicted of robbery and conspiracy to commit a felony. The defendant, a father of three, had previously been sentenced to 18 months for robbery and 9 months for conspiracy involving the purchase of narcotics worth 60 euros. According to court records, the defendant drove a vehicle to a meeting where his passenger robbed the victim of 60 euros and stabbed him in the back. While the defendant did not challenge the length of the sentences, he successfully appealed the refusal to suspend them, citing his clean criminal record, cooperation with authorities, and personal circumstances. Six years have passed since the commission of the offenses. The appeals panel, composed of judges M. Abizas, S. Christodoulidou-Messiou, and I. Stylianidou, unanimously ruled that the suspension was warranted. The defendant was represented by lawyer K. Sofokleous, while the prosecution was represented by Z. Koumourou on behalf of the Attorney General.