The 25-year-old defendant accused of attacking a 17-year-old on the autism spectrum and his sister last Saturday in Nea Philadelphia was remanded in custody, while his 20-year-old girlfriend was released without restrictive conditions, facing misdemeanor charges.
During his testimony, the 25-year-old reportedly expressed remorse for his actions, claiming he lost control in the heat of the moment and had no intention of causing serious harm. According to reports, he said he has realized his mistake and declared his willingness to support the victims in any way possible, emphasizing his shame over what happened.
For her part, the 20-year-old claimed the incident started suddenly amid the festival crowd, following pushing and intense verbal confrontation that escalated into a fight.
Nea Philadelphia: Timeline of violent assault on 17-year-old special school student
The shocking incident occurred early Saturday evening on May 2 in Nea Philadelphia during a local festival. A concert by a popular singer was taking place in the town’s central square, creating crowded conditions. The 17-year-old had gone there with his two sisters, aged 20 and 23. According to reports, one girl accidentally pushed the 25-year-old’s 20-year-old girlfriend. She reacted badly, first verbally abusing and then hitting the girl, causing the 17-year-old to become frightened and start shouting due to his condition. The 25-year-old then turned toward them, initially hitting one girl and then delivering at least two punches to the minor student’s face.
Chaos ensued as the couple fled the scene hastily, cursing and making threats. Police were notified of the incident, and officers from the Nea Philadelphia-Chalkidona Security Department took charge of locating the 25-year-old and his girlfriend. Using the limited available evidence, they managed to find them on Sunday afternoon, May 3, and arrest them, with the couple accepting responsibility for their actions during preliminary questioning.
Criminal charges were filed against him for grievous bodily harm against a defenseless person and harboring, and they were brought before the Athens Court Prosecutor’s Office. Notably, the 25-year-old appears to have martial arts training, which was evident from his strikes.
