Sentences reduced for Akhtar brothers

AN Appeals Court has unanimously decided to reduce the sentences of the Akhtar brothers and their father from Limassol, who were convicted of attacking policemen and causing serious injuries back in 2008.

Andreas Akhtar, 57, along with his two sons Elias, 24, and 29-year-old George, were found guilty of a string of charges in November 2008, including causing grievous bodily harm, aggravated assault, resisting police arrest and illegal possession of weapons.

Following Friday’s court ruling, the father’s sentence has been reduced from two years to 18 months in prison, while Elias’ has reduced from four and a half to three years and George’s from three and a half years to two and a half years.

The Akhtars had attacked five police officers on August 3, 2007, with swords, sending four to hospital and seriously wounding two of them. The brothers subsequently claimed the attack against the police officers was out of fear, and to protect their father who was handcuffed and in pain.

Since the day of the attack, the Akhtars had been on the run, initially hiding in Limassol. It is believed they fled to Turkey through the north, managed to obtain falsified travel documents, and used them to go to Greece, where they had stayed over for a few months. The brothers were eventually spotted in Mykonos by two Cypriot police officers who were on holiday with their families. The pair was subsequently extradited to Cyprus.

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