Appellate court doubles sentence for Nicosia vehicle arsonist

The Cyprus Court of Appeal has doubled the prison sentence of a 26-year-old man convicted of arson, increasing it from one to two years. The decision followed an appeal by the Attorney General, who argued that the initial sentence was inadequate given the severity of the crime, for which the maximum penalty is 14 years. Despite the increase, the court maintained the suspension of the sentence, citing the defendant's personal circumstances and demonstrated remorse as reasons to provide him with a second chance.

The case stems from an incident on November 7, 2023, in Nicosia. The defendant, motivated by jealousy after witnessing his partner kissing the vehicle owner in August 2023, used gasoline to set the car on fire in a parking lot. The appellate judges unanimously ruled that the original court had failed to properly evaluate the seriousness of the offense and the dangerous circumstances surrounding the act. The defendant had previously pleaded guilty to the charges.