Briton jailed for Ayia Napa attack

By Martin Hellicar

A BRITISH property surveyor was yesterday sentenced to two years imprisonment for an attack in an Ayia Napa disco, which left a local chef in a wheelchair.

Thirty-year-old Gavin Gallimore from Essex appeared calm as the three-judge bench of the criminal court, convening in Larnaca, passed sentence for an attack on 28-year-old Loukas Ioannou in the early hours of August 3.

Gallimore had pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to Ioannou, from Peristerona outside Nicosia.

The court has heard that there is no chance Ioannou will ever recover enough from injuries suffered in the Ayia Napa attack to return to work.

Gallimore assaulted Ioannou after the chef had accidentally bumped into him in a crowded nightclub. He shoved Ioannou with both hands, sending him crashing into the disco bar head first, the court heard.

Ioannou has been an in-patient at the Palodia treatment centre ever since.

In September, Gallimore had pleaded not guilty to charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. He changed his plea to guilty on Monday last week after the prosecution reduced the charges to grievous bodily harm.

In pleading for mitigation, Gallimore’s lawyer, Andreas Mathikolonis, told the court the attack had been the result of a “momentary outburst” on the part of his client. Gallimore was otherwise a trustworthy and non-violent person, Mathikolonis stated.

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