Ten guilty over Athens wildfire that killed 104 people as ‘lenient' sentences spark outrage
A Greek appeals court has found 10 individuals guilty of misdemeanour charges related to a devastating 2018 wildfire that claimed 104 lives.
The ruling, delivered on Tuesday, has sparked outrage among relatives of the victims of the blaze, which stands as the country's worst wildfire disaster in recent memory.
The court affirmed a previous verdict from a lower court last year, while also ordering the conviction of four additional people on misdemeanour charges, including involuntary manslaughter, according to legal sources. Those convicted include former fire brigade officials and an individual accused of arson.
However, eleven people, including regional governors, were acquitted.
The sentences for those convicted are expected to be announced on Wednesday. The penalty for a misdemeanour may include a suspended prison sentence or a jail term with the option of paying a fine..
The blaze that ripped through the seaside town of Mati, about 27 km (17 miles) east of the capital Athens, in July 2018 killed 104 people and injured dozens.
Most of those killed were caught in a maze of thickly-forested streets as they tried to flee in their cars."
Such a horrible disaster so badly handled and it's being treated as a misdemeanour. That's far too lenient. It's sad," said Alexandros Papasteriopoulos, a lawyer representing relatives of the dead.
Survivors and relatives released black balloons and held white roses during the trial to honour those killed. They shouted "shame" when the verdict was announced.
The disaster cast a pall over the then-leftist Syriza government, with survivors accusing authorities of botching rescue attempts. Authorities dismissed the accusations, saying that erratic winds fuelling the flames meant there was no time for coordinated action.
Devastating wildfires have become more frequent in Mediterranean countries. Scientists attribute their frequency and intensity to the increasingly hot and dry weather conditions linked to climate change.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
30 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
'Author' of property fraud scheme faces prison term
The 'author' of a scheme which saw false deeds used to change the registered ownership of two properties in Dublin without their legitimate owners' knowledge has been told he faces a prison sentence of three years. Philip Marley (53) of Rathbourne Court, Ashtown, Dublin, pleaded guilty during a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial last November to procuring fraudulent entry into the Property Registration Authority's registry, deception and procuring the registration of a false deed. Advertisement All counts took place on dates between 2016 and 2018 and relate to two properties, one located on Phibsborough Road, Dublin and the other on St Mary's Road, Dublin 4. The scheme involved the insertion of a false deed onto the title of both properties, and as a result, people who were not entitled to be registered owners were listed as the registered owners. On Thursday, Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain said Marley was the 'author' of the scheme, which was 'planned and premediated'. She said Marley had 'duped' others, engaging with professionals and the Property Registration Authority. Advertisement The judge noted the financial losses suffered by the injured parties and that the legitimate owners had to take High Court proceedings to regain title to their properties. Padraig Dwyer SC, defending Marley, asked the court to delay the formal imposition of the three-year sentence for four weeks to allow his client to make arrangements for the care of an adult son, who has severe neurological symptoms. Judge Ni Chulachain agreed to remand Marley on continuing bail until June 19th and said the court would require 'compelling evidence' if a further adjournment was to be sought on that date. A forensic psychological report provided to the court stated that Marley has a diagnosis of ADHD, ASD and bipolar disorder. The judge noted these diagnosis are provisional as Marley has yet to attend a full psychiatric assessment. Advertisement The judge said that Marley appeared to have minimised his activities when speaking with the forensic psychologist. She noted he is assessed at low risk of re-offending, but said the court had concerns about his level of remorse for the corporate entities affected, the integrity of the land registry system and for the professionals who became embroiled in the scheme. Herbert Kilcline (62), a former solicitor with an address at Bessborough Parade, Rathmines, Dublin. Photo: Collins Courts Marley's co-accused Herbert Kilcline, (64), a former solicitor with an address at Bessborough Parade, Rathmines, Dublin, was convicted of two counts of using a false instrument, two counts of failing to keep records, two counts of the fraudulent procurement of an entry into the Property Registration Authority's registry and two counts of failing to apply the required measures as a designated person. John McGowan SC, defending Kilcline, applied for an adjournment time to take further instructions in light of disclosure of a handwriting report prepared on behalf of Marley and to make a plea of mitigation. Judge Ni Chulachain agreed to adjourn finalisation of Kilcline's sentence to June 19th. At a hearing earlier this week, the judge noted a probation report states that Kilcline does not accept the jury's verdicts and intends to appeal. Advertisement Garda Sergeant Ronan Farrelly previously outlined to Bernard Condon SC, prosecuting, that a false deed was inserted onto the title of both properties, and as a result, people who were not entitled to be registered owners were listed as the registered owners. The garda investigation began following an internal review by the Property Registration Authority. Evidence was heard that the legitimate owners of the Phibsborough Road property purchased it in the 1990s with a sitting tenant ADT, later known as Johnson Controls, in place. Ireland Convicted rapist who harassed three female journal... Read More In December 2016, a false deed of conveyance for this property was lodged at the Property Registration Authority and subsequently registered. This false deed claimed that a company called Kent International Holdings had been the owners of this building, and it was now owned by another company, SLGI. Advertisement The court heard the deed was purportedly lodged and signed by a solicitor, who had been acting for Marley in an unrelated matter. This solicitor had not signed or lodged this deed. Marley directed searches were carried out in the registry of deeds about lands surrounding the Phibsborough Road property. He also engaged a third party to produce maps. The court heard that stamp duty was paid on the non-existent transaction between Kent Holdings and SLGI. Marley has 12 previous convictions for minor road traffic matters. Kilcline has previous convictions for deception, relating to social welfare claims.
Daily Mail
41 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Greek tourist 'was stabbed to death on his doorstep for his man bag after attackers followed him home from West End nightclub'
A Greek tourist who was stabbed on the way home from a West End nightclub was killed for his man bag, a court has heard. Antonios Antoniadis, 26, was attacked as he got out of an Uber following a night out at 32 Portland Place in Marylebone, London last July. A group of five killers had been sitting in a stolen Kia Sportage looking for a victim to rob when they saw the holidaymaker walk past, jurors at the Old Bailey heard. Joshua McCorquodale, 20, Shian Johnson, 25, Sofian Alliche, 20, Alfie Hipple, 18, and an unnamed 17-year-old then allegedly followed him all the way to his friend's house in New Cross, southeast London, before four attempted to take the item while one sat in the car. Mr Antoniadis then struck one of them with a brandy bottle, before he was stabbed and left on the ground as the group sped off in the vehicle, which had been seen outside the club for several hours ahead of the attack, the court heard. The visitor survived for two weeks in hospital before dying of his injuries on July 21, 2024. All five accused deny murder and conspiracy to rob. Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones said: 'Mr Antoniadis was here in London on holiday, a tourist who had come on holiday from his home in Greece. 'He had come with a couple of his friends, Maria and Tia, they were spending the week seeing the city, staying with a friend, having some fun. 'That night, they ended up in a nightclub in the West End called 32 Portland Place, not far from Oxford Circus. It was it seemed quite a night out - they didn't even get to the club until just after 4am and they didn't leave the club until about 8.15am. 'As they travelled out of central London, they had no idea that they were being followed. They had no idea that five young men had been hanging around outside that nightclub all night in a stolen car looking for someone they could rob. 'They followed him for over half an hour, all the way to Florence Terrace, New Cross. 'As Maria struggled to find the key to open the door, Antonis was approached by four figures in hoods and balaclavas, four of them, because one of the five, the driver, had stayed in the car to turn it around and prepare for their getaway. 'Antonis resisted, and struggled, and at one point managed to hit one of his attackers with a brandy bottle he was still holding from his night out. 'At least two of the attacking group had with them large knives. One of them shouted "ching him", in other words, stab him. 'Antonis was by now on the ground, one his hands and knees, surrounded by the four robbers who were punching and kicking him, and then they stabbed him. 'He suffered cuts and bruises to his face and head, wounds to his arms as he tried to defend himself, and he was stabbed in the middle of the chest he suffered a large and deep stab wound to his right thigh which completely severed his femoral artery and caused catastrophic blood loss. 'His four attackers then ran back to the waiting car, they jumped in and their driver sped them away, leaving their victim bleeding to death behind them.' He added that the prosecution's case described them as equally responsible for the murder. 'They were clearly prepared to use violence to try and pull off the robbery, and given that they had at least two large knives between them, they were clearly prepared to use really serious violence if the need arose,' Mr Jones said. 'The need did arise, at least as far as they were concerned, and so they used their knives, they stabbed Antonis, and they killed him.' The trial continues and is set to last six weeks.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Trump tells German leader WWII defeat ‘was not a pleasant day for you' as chancellor is forced to school him on Nazis
A meeting between President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Frederich Merz took an awkward turn on Thursday when Trump suggested that Germans would not view the anniversary of D-Day favorably because the U.S.-led invasion of Europe was carried out against the Third Reich. Sitting in the Oval Office, Merz and Trump were discussing the death toll from Russia's three-year-old war against Ukraine, the bloodiest conflict in Europe since the end of the Second World War, when Merz noted that tomorrow marks the 81st anniversary of Operation Overlord, the allied amphibious assault on Nazi Germany that began with American, British, Canadian and Free French troops storming the beaches of Normandy in France. Merz told Trump he wanted to discuss how to bring the current Russo-Ukrainian conflict to an end. 'I'm here, Mr. President, to talk with you later on on how we could contribute to that goal. And we all are looking for measures and for instruments to bring this terror war to an end. And may I remind you that we are having June 6 tomorrow. This is D-Day anniversary when the Americans once ended a war in Europe,' he said. At that point, the American leader interjected, asking Merz: 'That was not a pleasant day for you?' The chancellor began to reply that it was 'not a pleasant day' before stopping himself and delivering a bit of a history lesson for his U.S. counterpart. 'In the long run, Mr. President, this was the liberation of my country from Nazi dictatorship,' he said. Merz continued by stating that Germans know what they owe to America for liberating their country from Nazis, telling Trump that the U.S. is 'again in a very strong position' to help end Russia's war by throwing steadfast support to Ukraine's defensive efforts. 'We know what we owe you, but this is the reason why I'm saying that America is again, in a very strong position to do something on this war and ending this war. So let's talk about what we can do jointly, and we are ready to do what we can,' he said. The bizarre moment was not even the first example of questionable historical references from Trump, who also attempted to crack a joke about Merz's efforts to push past decades of German pacifism to help bolster Ukraine's defense and jump-start his country's own arms industry. Asked whether Germany is doing enough to meet their commitments to NATO by spending a set percentage of GDP on defense needs, Trump replied that he knows Germany is now 'pending more money on defense now and quite a bit more money' and called the development 'a positive thing' before waxing on about the late American general Douglas MacArthur's views of Germany in the wake of two world wars. 'I'm not sure that General MacArthur would have said it's positive, you know, he wouldn't like it, but I sort of think it's good,' Trump said. 'He made a statement, never let Germany rearm. And I said, I always think about that. When he says, Sir, we're spending more money on defense, I say, Oh, is that a good thing or a bad thing? I think it's a good thing. But you know, at least to a certain point, there'll be a point where say, Please don't arm anymore. If you don't mind.' The president then, perhaps jokingly, suggested that the U.S. would be 'watching' Germany's re-armament efforts with skepticism. In what appeared to be a reversal from his first-term position, the American leader told reporters that the U.S. would be keeping the tens of thousands of troops based in Germany in that country, the site of some of America's largest European bases. Asked whether the U.S. would continue to base troops in Merz's country, he replied: 'The answer is yes.' 'We'll talk about that. But if they'd like to have them there, yeah,' he said. 'We have a lot of them, about 45,000 it's a lot of troops. It's a city,' Trump continued, adding that their presence is good for Germany's economy because they're 'highly paid' and 'spend a lot of money' there.
