NICOSIA CID are investigating an incident, sparked by a dog fight, which led to a man being assaulted and then pushed off his veranda.
The incident was sparked by a fight between two dogs on Wednesday. According to Constable Andreas Michael of Nicosia CID, the 35-year-old suspect was walking his St. Bernard in Strovolos when his dog got into a fight with another dog being walked by the plaintiff. According to the constable, the St Bernard not only attacked the other dog but also the plaintiff.
“Angered by the incident, the 24-year-old daughter of the plaintiff then called up the suspect and complained to him about the incident,” said Michael. “At around 7pm that day, the suspect went to the house of the plaintiff and after attacking the daughter and causing her injuries, then attacked her father, punching him in the face before pushing him off his one metre high veranda.”
The constable went on to tell the court that the plaintiff fell onto a car and suffered massive injuries to his body as a result of the fall. He added that the plaintiff was still in hospital and not fit enough to make a statement and that the car was also damaged from the fall.
The suspect, who stood beside his lawyer still dressed in his tracksuit, then went to the police himself and told officers that he had received a call from the plaintiff that “he was going to shoot him and his dog”.
“But the suspect himself was arrested at around 11pm when the plaintiff as well as witnesses reported the incident.”
The suspect’s defence lawyer Eleni Vrahimi quizzed the officer on duty, telling him that suspect was unfairly held in remand.
“In your statement you request a remand of three days for your investigations. But he has already been kept in remand and only five statements have been taken. You told the court yourself that you are not worried about the suspect influencing witnesses, whereas you also say in your statement that you are scared that the suspect will flee the island.
“Why is that? To your knowledge does the suspect work abroad or have relatives abroad?” said Vrahimi.
“No”, replied the smiling constable.
“But still you are afraid he will flee the island,” responded Vrahimi.
After a short recess to think over the decision to keep the suspect in remand, Judge Nicos Yiapanas said the constable’s statement that he was not worried about the suspect fleeing the island and the fact that he has been in remand for two days already led him to the conclusion that a three-day remand would not serve the interests of justice.
He ordered that the man be released immediately.
