Appellate court upholds consecutive prison sentence for drug possession in Paphos

The Cyprus Appellate Court has unanimously rejected an appeal filed by a convicted individual, confirming his prison sentences for the possession and use of cannabis. The court upheld the decision to serve these sentences consecutively with a separate two-and-a-half-year term he was already serving for a building burglary. As a result, the defendant's total incarceration period remains set at 39 months.

The offenses were committed on March 21, 2023. Following a guilty plea, the Paphos District Court had initially sentenced the man to four months in prison for possession of a Class B controlled drug—specifically a partially smoked eight-centimeter hand-rolled cigarette containing traces of cannabis—and nine months for the use of the drug. The lower court ordered these sentences to run concurrently with each other but consecutively to his existing burglary conviction.

In his appeal, the convict argued that the sentences were manifestly excessive and that the original court failed to properly consider mitigating factors. However, the Appellate Court concluded that the cumulative 39-month sentence was fair and proportionate to the individual's overall criminal behavior. The case is now considered closed regarding the sentencing appeal.