Man, 36, guilty of sexually abusing girl aged 10

A 36-year-old man has been found guilty of sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl – the daughter of his wife’s first cousin — in the space of one year.

The man was found guilty in 22 counts relating to sexual offences committed between May 2015 and May 2016.

His defence will plead for leniency on July 28. The sentencing date will be announced then.

The Nicosia court said the minor’s testimony remained undisputed and she was judged fully credible in detailing the defendant’s acts.

The defence’s basic position was that the 36-year-old suffered from regression and was filled with pathological loving feelings and obsessive jealousy towards the girl.

The defendant’s statement in court and his statement to police did not convince the court, which concluded that the facts of the case were as the girl had described them.

The court rejected the regression premise, ruling that the defendant’s behaviour is part of the profile of a pedophile who approaches the victim, wins their trust, satisfies the victim’s needs, isolates them, displays sexual behaviour towards them and gain control.

The defendant, according to the court, gained the mother’s and the girl’s trust thus seeing her more often on the pretext of helping with her homework.

He secretly gave her presents, handwritten notes, took photos and video and exchanged phone messages daily.

He took her for walks, shopping, and the beach, alone, without her mother and his wife knowing they would be alone. He took her to secluded places in Nicosia where he usually carried out the sexual acts and did the same when at the beach, ultimately aiming at achieving full sexual contact with her.

The penultimate time they met he had taken her to a fast food place where he hugged and kissed her in public for the first time. Staff noticed his inappropriate behaviour and reported the matter to police, leading to his arrest.

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