The details of a domestic violence case in Volos are sending shockwaves, after a 44-year-old man was brought before the Summary Single-Member Misdemeanor Court on Friday (28/8), following a complaint filed by his own father. The court found the 44-year-old guilty of domestic violence and sentenced him to six months in prison, suspended for three years, while ruling that any appeal would not have a suspensive effect. In addition, he was ordered to attend a specialized domestic violence program at the Volos Mental Health Center as a condition of staying out of prison.
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The 44-year-old stood trial following a formal complaint made by his own father, who testified that his son is addicted to gambling and that on August 27th he attacked his mother after she refused to give him money to gamble.
The situation escalated when the son shoved his mother, prompting the father to intervene in an attempt to calm things down. “Get out or I’ll kill you,” the son allegedly threatened him, forcing the father to call the police. “He’s addicted to gambling. He has a problem and he often shouts inside the house. This time, though, I was scared because I could see he was more enraged than usual,” the father told the court.
However, the 44-year-old denied his father’s account during his testimony, claiming he never threatened him. He alleged that his father filed the police complaint out of a desire for revenge, insisting that his father has held a grudge against him for years. He also denied having shoved his mother.
Volos: “I told him to get out of my face — I never said I’d kill him,” says the 44-year-old
“We had an argument, but I never touched my mother. For 40 years my father has had it in for me and he always raises his voice. I told him to get out of my face — I never said I’d kill him — but I did use another expression that was harsh, and that’s what upset him,” the 44-year-old stated.
He also admitted to placing bets, but insisted it was not an everyday habit. “I have a university degree and one thing is certain — I have no addiction whatsoever,” he said. When the prosecutor asked how much money he spends on betting each month on average, he replied between €300 and €400, adding that he asks his parents for what he considers a fair share of their estate compared to his siblings. He stated that he is unemployed and has only occasionally worked in the past on his parents’ properties.
Earlier, his father had told the court that the 44-year-old spends well over €400 a month on gambling, using money he allegedly takes from his mother’s pension as well as rental income from properties the family owns.
“My son has never worked a day in his life, and our family wealth is to blame for that,” the father remarked pointedly.
The defendant appeared visibly shocked by the court’s verdict, stating that he had never previously been convicted of any offense, yet he is now required to attend a program at the Mental Health Center in order to avoid serving time behind bars.
