Former police officer sentenced to four life terms for child abuse in Athens

The Mixed Jury Court of Athens has sentenced a 46-year-old former police officer, who served in the Hellenic Parliament guard, to four life sentences and an additional 80 years of imprisonment. The defendant was convicted of sexually abusing his four children, with the abuse beginning as early as 2016. The case surfaced in December 2024, uncovering systematic abuse within the family of two police officers. In contrast, the man's 36-year-old wife was acquitted by a majority decision. The court ruled that the mother acted under a state of coercion, fear, and terror induced by her husband. Her defense attorney, Ioannis Barkagiannis, noted that the court found the actions non-attributable to her due to her inability to avoid the injustice while under duress. This decision contradicts the initial recommendation of the public prosecutor, who had sought her conviction. The ruling cited legal provisions regarding the inability to perceive the wrongfulness of an act under extreme pressure.