The 63-year-old professor who harassed 8-year-old in a park in Thessaloniki was convicted, was seen by mothers and called the police

In 18-month prison sentence, the 63-year-old professor accused of sexually harassing an 8-year-old girl, in Ocean Forest in Thessaloniki.

The defendant was found guilty by Single-member Law Court of Thessaloniki for an offence of sexual dignity of a person who has not completed the ten years without being granted any mitigating effect. The Court of Justice decided to turn his sentence into ten euros a day, so the defendant released.

The incident occurred in the area's busy park early in the afternoon of last Monday, while the 63-year-old was arrested thanks to intervention by other parents, who perceived his suspicious behavior and notified the police.

According to the mother's testimony, who was an eyewitness, he saw 63 year old talking to the girl from Nigeria and from the body language she realized something was wrong. ‘We asked the other mothers if they knew him., as at that time we had a children's party in the park, and none knew him," he said.

As emerged from the evidence procedure, the defendant was sitting on a gymnastics bike and right in front of him had the child. "He caressed her on the buttocks, back and massaged her. We were trying to figure out if they were related.. Whatever it was, we didn't like it. I called the police and explained the situation., what we were seeing, and they said they were coming right away. While we waited, he put his hands through her shirt. He was pulling his pants. She was sitting on the gymnastics instrument and stuck on the little girl," the witness testified.

He added that the defendant also called the 10-year-old girl's sister, who was with her in the park, who and sat on his feet.

Second mother, who was also an eyewitness to the incident and testified in court, reported that the defendant was sitting behind the little girl on the bike and catching it with his hands. "He put his hands through the sleeves, inside the shirt, back in the back. He was on the bike, back Mr. Besty, in front of the little girl," he said.

"I wanted to help her"
In his apology the defendant argued that he wanted to... help her. 8 year old, who approached him, as he said, crying and asked him to call her mother on his cell phone. At the same time, she claimed that the minor insisted on doing fitness bikeEven though it was not enough because of height.

"I told her, "Come on, kid, let's get Mom." He said "our uncle will come get us." The kid wasn't well, she was wet and she was crying. He asked me if he could ride a bike. I turned out to be naive for saying, "To help you ride a bike, you'll be ahead." It was a tight place and I had to put my hands on it. I wiped her forehead because she was sweating. I was naive. I certainly accept that it was nothing right.".

At another point in his apology he argued that the girl "needed urgently and insisted on riding a bike. I put her in the front and I was helping her from behind. It wouldn't happen if I were next door, I wouldn't arrive.".

"It was childish naivety what I did. It was a big mistake. I was misunderstood.. First time in my life I acted in such a naive way. I felt sorry for the kid. I was very sad because he was crying. I admit my hands got on her shoulder sometime. I caught her so I wouldn't fall.. I suggested that I buy her ice cream to calm her down," she said, noting that she has been working as a teacher for 30 years in the private sector without giving her rights.