A 19-year-old student was jailed for 6.5 years for gang involvement robberies and theft, in various areas Thessalonikiwith a withdrawal of more than 6,000 euros.
Three more young people, two aged 19 and one aged 20, were sent for trial at the Single Court of Criminal Appeals in Thessaloniki. They were sentenced to prison terms of 5.5, 3 and 2.5 years, respectively. but, unlike the student, it was decided to release them, before the Court of Appeal, with restrictive conditions, including their participation in sessions with a social assistance supervisor.
The accusation included seven robberies and one attempted robbery committed between March and April 2024, targeting cafes, convenience stores, gas stations, as well as six robberies, most of which were attempted.
The defendants made restitution to their victims and the court granted them the mitigations of post-adolescent age and sincere remorse.
“In prison I realized I made a mistake”
The student, who was found guilty of robberies he committed at knife or screwdriver threat, spoke of “recklessness and immaturity” in his apology. “I realized early on that I was doing something stupid and that’s when I stopped. Then, in prison, I realized I did something wrong,” he said, apologizing to the victims.
He mentioned that in the morning he went to University and in the afternoon he helped his father with work, while he spent the money from the robberies and bought gifts for his brother. Asked by the court about how the idea of carrying out these acts came about, he replied: “From videos on the internet and the music we listened to”.
According to the same accusation, the young man sentenced to 5.5 years in prison allegedly helped the student in carrying out the robberies, driving his mother’s car or two-wheeler during the escape. The remaining two were found guilty of individual acts as charged.
Source: RES-MPE