The 30-month prison sentence imposed by the Single-Member Court of Misdemeanors in Rhodes on a karate instructor has a suspensive effect regarding the appeal. The punishment relates to cases of sexual abuse by the 59-year-old against his underage female students, a 16-year-old and a 15-year-old. There was also a third complaint, for which the middle-aged man was acquitted, as reported by the website dimokratiki.gr. The 15-year-old was the one who initiated the proceedings for his conviction, by going to the Ialyssos police station in February 2024.
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She was accompanied by her parents when she reported the incident that occurred over several days. According to her account, the instructor entered the school’s changing rooms and, after hugging her, kissed her on the head and chest. A child psychologist then conducted an examination. Her testimony was included in the case file. According to the 15-year-old, the act, to which she did not consent, caused her fear and discomfort, and the intense distress stayed with her until the end of the lesson. According to the mother, he had been her daughter’s instructor for 5.5 years, and she noted a change in his behavior during the last six training sessions. This involved references to his sexual life and questions directed at the minor. The father confirmed the events, while a third adult, reportedly from the girl’s school environment, emphasized that the 15-year-old informed him immediately.
Rhodes: Incidents involving two other minors
The case created conditions for two additional complaints. A 16-year-old reported an incident in December 2023, during which the instructor touched her chest and kissed her on the mouth. For her part, a 14-year-old claimed similar behavior from the 59-year-old, and spoke of emotional identification with the 15-year-old, which resulted in her leaving the school.
The last two cases were made into separate case files by the Ialyssos Police Station. The accused was connected to these cases, with each incident evaluated separately. The karate instructor denied the charges regarding the acts he committed, however he also spoke of a misunderstanding regarding his behavior.
