The Athens Summary Criminal Court imposed an eight-month prison sentence with three-year suspension on Dimitra Matsouka, after finding her guilty of dangerous driving under the influence of alcohol and above the permitted speed limit, driving a vehicle with removed license plates, and driving with a revoked license.
Earlier, the court prosecutor also recommended the actress’s conviction, noting that beyond mild intoxication, the actress had exceeded the speed limit by at least 40 kilometers per hour.
The actress’s defense team, following the court’s decision announcement, requested the mitigating factor of previous good character.
“Anyone requesting this must have demonstrated respect for all legal rights concerning human life. It’s characteristic that the acts for which her plates and license were removed involved similar Highway Code violations,” the prosecutor emphasized, recommending that no mitigating factors be recognized for Dimitra Matsouka.
The president of the Athens Summary Criminal Court disagreed with the prosecutor’s recommendation and recognized the mitigating factor of previous good character for the actress, who was absent from court.
The actress’s lawyer emphasized that all of Ms. Matsouka’s violations are
administrative violations that have been paid. “Her plates and license have been removed. She hasn’t been found street racing nor has she been recorded endangering anyone,” said Alexis Stefanakis, adding that his client had already paid the relevant fine and was preparing to get her license back.
Dimitra Matsouka’s case sparked intense public debate when she was arrested for multiple violations.
During the traffic control, multiple and serious violations were confirmed: excessive speed, driving without a license which had been removed after a previous incident, driving without license plates, and a positive breathalyzer test.
