Man found guilty of raping 11-year-old granddaughter in south Cyprus

A Greek Cypriot man has been found guilty of raping his 11-year-old granddaughter over a period of eight months, with the young girl now suffering from stress disorders.

The Larnaca-Famagusta criminal court, which held session behind closed doors on Thursday, found the grandfather guilty on all 26 charges – ranging from rape and indecent sexual assault to familial violence.

According to the court’s findings, the crimes took place between December 2020 and July 2021, both within the perpetrator’s residence and elsewhere.

The young girl’s statements were deemed valid and trustworthy, while some minor inconsistencies and instances of memory loss were classified as entirely understandable given the traumatic nature of events.

The case came to light after the niece revealed the abuse to her mother and other relatives.

The girl later gave statements on three separate occasions, including to the police officer who first visited the family home following contact made by the relative that first reported the incident. Her statements were also taped in another session with members of the police.

The court will reconvene on June 23 to hear the defence’s plea for mitigation.

Cyprus Mail