The Limassol Assize Court has sentenced a 33 year-old man to two years in prison after being found guilty for setting fires near a state forest.
In a press release, the Court says that in June 2022 the man set fire in three different sites by using a lighter, in the area of the community of Dieronas, at a distance of 1,240 meters from the edges of the state forest.
As a result, it notes, a total area of 570 sq.m. with pines and bushes was burnt to ashes.
In its decision the Court pointed out that the crime carries up to a 10 years prison sentence or a fine of up to 50,000 and spoke of the need to have strict sentences which would act as a deterrent in order to protect the safety of citizens and their property but also the natural environment which plays a key role in the quality of life and health of people.
Furthermore, when he was spotted by a policeman and a civilian the 33 year old man pointed knives towards them and he was sentenced by the same Court to two months in prison for carrying a weapon.
Source: Cyprus News Agency