Appeals court reduces man's prison sentence for theft

The Cyprus Appeals Court has reduced a man's prison sentence from ten months to six months following his appeal. The defendant had previously admitted to stealing a bicycle valued at €700, a helmet worth €150, and a pair of shoes worth €100 from outside a friend's residence on January 1, 2026. The total value of the stolen items was €950.

The court's decision was based on the finding that the original trial court failed to consider a critical factor when sentencing: the automatic activation of an additional 107 days in prison, which had been previously suspended under a presidential pardon. The Appeals Court unanimously accepted this ground of appeal while rejecting three others.

The defendant’s significant criminal history played a decisive role in the initial sentencing. Over the past decade, he has been convicted repeatedly for offenses including robbery, burglary, theft, malicious damage, assault, and drug possession. Notably, he received substantial sentences between 2015 and 2025, including 3.5 years in 2015 and six years in 2018. Because the trial court had originally imposed a non-suspended ten-month sentence, the appellate decision aims to account for the mandatory addition of the 107-day term.