For three acts of rape young boys - and not for two as he had convicted in the first place - the once powerful man of the State Theatre, Dimitris Lignadis, will be tried second degree.
This development, which cannot be ruled out as a result of stricter criminal treatment of the defendant, marks today's decision by the Athens Mixed Orkotou Court of Appeals, on whose stool the actor and director sits in order to be tried to a second degree for sexual abuse of young men
In particular, today the secondary court has accepted Prosecutor's appeal against the judgment of the Court of First Instance and thus after that judgment the former Director of State Theatre will also explain another act of sexual abuse, namely rape, rape and rape. 16-year-old Egyptian-born boy, an act for which he was first found not guilty.
"To be formally accepted both appeals, that of Mr. Prosecutor and Mr. Lignades", were the words of the court president By adopting the relevant decision.
It is recalled that in the first instance D. Lignades had been judged, by majorityguilty of two of the four rapes he had been tried. These are rapes of two 17-year-olds in 2015 for whom he was imposed, by merger, 12 years.
In fact, the primary court had granted him suspension until appeal resulting in the known director and actor being found out of jailThe next day of the verdict.
On the contrary, the primary court had ruled Dimitris Lignadis unanimously Not guilty of raping an adult in 2018, who never appeared in court, as well as by majority not guilty of rape 16-year-old Egyptian-born man of 2011.
However, a few days after the announcement of the primary court's decision, the appeal prosecutor appeal to the Court of First Instance on the grounds that the former head of the National Theatre should be given a higher sentence as well as that his acquittal should be reviewed for the rape charge against the 16-year-old.
Today, at the beginning of the trial, the court accepted Prosecutor's appeal, which cannot be ruled out of the way of bringing the defendant more serious criminal treatment than he had in the first instance.
It should be noted that in a previous trial the prosecutor of the seat had proposed that the appeal be accepted only as to the amount of the sentence imposed on Dimitris Lignades and not as to its part concerning the director's acquittal for the rape charge against the 16-year-old young man.
Furthermore, during today's trial the defendant's defence requested that he be appointed expert psychologist I would like to thank the rapporteur for his report. awareness ability of young people who had denounced Dimitris Lignades for sexual abuse, which as the advocates said had not been done at any stage in the case.
Taking the floor of the District Attorney He proposed that the request be accepted and that the trial be postponed so that witnesses could be examined by an expert.
A portion of the prosecution's support advocates did not oppose the examination of witnesses by an expert, but requested that the trial be postponed but suspended for a few weeks. The court is expected to announce tomorrow its decision on this matter.
In the court on the defendant's side were found and today the Eleni Kourkoula, the Dionysis Panagiotakis And his brother. Giannis Lignades. All three men who had denounced the director were found in the courtroom.