A MARTIAL ARTS athlete yesterday escaped prison by the skin of his teeth when his medical history was brought to the court’s attention minutes before he was sentenced.
Andreas Aristidou, 26, who was found guilty of assaulting and causing actual bodily harm to a Nicosia traffic warden in August last year, was sentenced to 45 days imprisonment suspended for three years.
Nicosia district judge Michalis Ambizas appeared to take into consideration the fact that Aristidou had suffered epileptic seizures in 2004 induced by a brain tumour.
In 2005 surgery to remove the growth had only been partially successful, Aristidou’s lawyer told the court. He said his client had been taking medication three times a day ever since in preparation for a second operation and was under the supervision of the Neurology and Genetics Institute. This tumour had also affected his performance as a taekwondo athlete and explained why he had won no more medals since 2001 when he brought home the bronze during a taekwondo competition in Spain, he said.
The new information was brought to the court’s attention at the eleventh hour. The judge had been due to read out his sentence at 9.30am and was instead forced to review his decision based on the additional facts presented.
The defence lawyer said the information had only been brought to his attention by his client’s mother in the last four days. He told the court his client had not felt it necessary to disclose his personal medical history as part of his defence. Ambizas pointed out there was quite a lot that had not come to the court’s attention until now.
The judge also heard Aristidou had settled out of court a pending claims suit with the traffic warden and that both the latter and the taekwondo expert and had fully resolved their differences. Apparently the plaintiff received €2,170 in compensation which he received yesterday shortly before the morning procedure began.
The court also heard the taekwondo champion, who has represented Cyprus abroad and works for the Cyprus Sports Organisation, expressed his regret “even at this late hour” for his actions.
Aristidou, who is married with a 17-month-old baby and had been held in custody since last Friday when he was found guilty, stood in the dock looking less self-assured. Gone was the cocky half smile during last week’s appearance. There was also a small cut on his forehead above his right eyebrow as he gripped on to the dock railing. Sitting with a long face in the back of the courtroom was his father; his wife and mother were absent.
In light of the new information the judge asked for a 90-minute recess. Ambizas came back at midday with the suspended sentence without first stressing Aristidou’s behaviour had “no place in society”. The judge said what worsened the 26-year-old man’s “unacceptable reaction” to receiving a parking fine from an attendant who had simply been doing his job was the fact that he was a taekwondo athlete and trainer. He said society had come to expect more from people like that who should know better.
Asked later whether he was happy with the final outcome in light of the circumstances Aristidou’s response was succinct: “No.”
The 26-year-old did not elaborate what he meant further and said he was considering filing an appeal.
The incident took place on Themistoclis Dervis Street in August last year when Aristidou parked his car in a handicapped spot and received a fine. The issue quickly escalated into a verbal and physical onslaught, finally concluding with the enraged martial arts expert grabbing the traffic warden by the neck and bringing him to his knees unable to breathe. Thanks to the intervention of eyewitnesses Aristidou was pulled off his victim.
Cyprus Mail
Martial Arts Athlete Escaped from Jail
