Man jailed for killing daughter’s mother-in-law

A LIMASSOL man was yesterday sentenced to eight years imprisonment after pleading guilty to killing his daughter’s mother-in-law in October last year.

Victoras Menelaou, 42, had stormed round to his in-laws’ home after hearing that his daughter, Marina, had been beaten up by her husband, Marinos Loizou. Menelaou used a hunting rifle to shoot dead Marina’s mother-in-law, Maroulla, and injure her husband and her father-in-law, Andreas. Marinos and Andreas lost an eye each in the attack.

The incident took place in the Ayios Athanasios suburb of Limassol on October 10.

Menelaou, an Ayios Athanasios resident, was handed an eight-year sentence for the manslaughter of Maroulla, and two four-year sentences for causing actual bodily harm to Marinos and Andreas. The sentences will run concurrently.

One of the three Assizes court judges, Eleftheria Koladzi, had passed a 12- year sentence for manslaughter and two six-year sentences for actual bodily harm. She was outvoted by the two other judges.

The judges described the killing as a “crime of passion” and said the attack had not been premeditated.

In passing sentence, the Limassol court also took into account as a mitigating factor the fact that Menelaou was a well-respected employee of Ayios Athanasios municipality and member of the local community. He had also admitted to the attack immediately and had no previous criminal record, the judges noted.