Since 2007, the first reports to the police about young Stylianos have begun to emerge in court, shedding light on the tragic 2019 suicide of the 15-year-old. The case shocked Cyprus as it revealed major gaps in the prevention and handling of child abuse and domestic violence. Investigations showed failures by both the Social Welfare Services and the police to properly respond to warnings and protect the teenager, who had displayed psychological distress from an early age following years of violence in his home.
The court proceedings are beginning to trace the events allegedly linked to Stylianos' death. Eleven individuals are currently on trial, including his parents, officials from the Social Welfare Services, and a police sergeant. In a previous hearing, it was decided that the trial of the police sergeant would proceed separately before another court.
Yesterday, at the Nicosia District Court, the first two prosecution witnesses gave their testimony. Both were police officers who, at the time in question, served at the Pera Chorio Nisou police station.
According to the court, Stylianos' mother first reported concerns to the police in December 2007. She requested that it be recorded in the station log that her husband had been physically abusive. She clarified that she was not in front of their child at the time and did not wish to press charges against her husband. A few days later, on 30 December 2007, Stylianos’ father was called to the police station and given a stern warning regarding his wife’s report. The witness stated that the father promised he would not repeat the behaviour.
The second witness testified that in May 2010, Stylianos’ mother went to the police to report her intention to separate from her husband due to financial difficulties and because he forced her to spend excessive time on his farm. She did not report any incident suggesting domestic violence at that time.
The parents’ lawyers, Konstantinos Kazantzis and Betito Jonathan, objected to the relevance of these testimonies to the charges their clients face. The Attorney General’s representative, Elena Constantinou, emphasised that the purpose of the testimonies, and those of other witnesses to come, is to illustrate the abusive environment in which Stylianos was forced to grow up. Judge Pavlos Agapitos rejected the objections and the witnesses’ testimonies and cross-examinations were completed.
Meanwhile, further developments are expected in the next hearings regarding the two accused who have pleaded guilty. It was noted in court that separate proceedings may be necessary for those who have admitted or intend to admit guilt, as they may also be called to testify as prosecution witnesses.
The indictment includes 218 charges, divided into two parts. The first concerns Stylianos’ parents, the 55-year-old father and 48-year-old mother, and the second concerns nine Social Welfare Services officials, including social workers and coordinators. Charges against the father include physical and psychological abuse, joint assault, and subjecting a person to cruel or inhumane treatment. The mother faces charges for failing to report incidents of violence she was aware of, particularly against a minor, under the 2000 Domestic Violence Law. The Social Welfare officials face charges of neglecting their official duties during the exercise of their responsibilities.