Senior police officer denies indecent assault

A HIGH ranking police officer yesterday pleaded not guilty to indecently assaulting a fellow officer on New Year’s Eve in 2002.

The 55-year-old Superintendent B’ officer denied the incident involving a female constable on December 31, 2002. The defendant, who was the officer in charge at Paphos Gate Police Station in Nicosia on the night in question, allegedly grabbed the female constable by the neck, forced her head towards his and kissed her on the lips, saying “I really fancy you. Why don’t we go out together and whatever happens, happens?”
The incident allegedly occurred at around midday.

The superintendent was initially charged with two further accounts of sexual harassment, but those charges were later dropped because they had only come into force from 2003 – the incident taking place just ten hours shy of the 2003 deadline.

Judge Lemonia Kaoutzani ordered that the trial begin on June 26, with state prosecutor Marios Koutsoftas set to call up eight witnesses, including the plaintiff.

Dressed in a dark suit and with two lawyers defending him, the Superintendent appeared unfazed by the proceedings.

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