Filenews 2 July 2022
A statement was issued by the legal advisers of the family of 46-year-old Christina Camilla Palmdahl, who passed away after a car crash that occurred in Ayia Napa on May 5.
Through the announcement, the legal advisors ask the Legal Service to proceed with an Appeal of the sentence imposed on the English driver, while pointing out that they consider the sentence imposed on the 26-year-old to be a blatant insult to the memory of the victim, her family and an insult to the entire Cypriot society.
"We wonder whether the Cypriot Courts ultimately show leniency to drivers who abandon their victims. Could it be that if the English buggy driver who killed Camilla did not leave the scene, would he be sentenced to 9 years instead of 12 months?"
It is recalled that the 26-year-old, who dragged and fatally injured in a buggy-type vehicle, a 46-year-old from Sweden, who crossed the road at a pedestrian crossing, on The Island Avenue in Ayia Napa last May, was sentenced to 12 months in prison and deprivation of a driver's license for 18 months.
Here's the announcement as it stands:
We act as the appointed legal representatives (ALEXANDROU & VAROUDAKIS DEPE) of the family of the victim, Christina Camilla Palmdahl, of the fatal accident that took place in Ayia Napa on 05/05/2022 where the aforementioned died.
The present is sent in relation to the decision of the Famagusta District Court, dated 27/06/2022 at the behest of our clients and constitutes their official position and ours, as their lawyers, which we request to be published as follows:
«The decision to impose a sentence of 12 months in prison imposed on the driver who caused the death of 46-year-old Christina Camilla Palmdahl, is a BLATANT insult to the memory of the victim, her family and is also an insult to the entire Cypriot society. this was not taken into account either by the Prosecution or by the Court when imposing a sentence, since they ignored that when the driver was found the breathalyzer and narcotest to which he was subjected they had a positive indication (!). It was also not taken into account at all by either the Prosecution or the Court that:
- The driver completely abandoned his vehicle and the scene without offering any assistance to Camilla. With this move he showed his intention to avoid any responsibility, while at the same time knowing that the rental vehicle was written in his name and was sure to be located.
- Witnesses of the area have stated that for many metres before if not kilometres he himself drove in an extremely dangerous and reckless way, behaviour that is a daily and all-day phenomenon on The Island Avenue by tourists driving buggy-type vehicles.
- The driver/accused for the purpose of mitigating the sentence and to support his "alleged" remorse, sent in writing the intention to pay some amount to the victim's 5-year-old daughter, who we recall was just a few meters away from the scene of her mother's death. While this proposal was used in court as a mitigating factor to reduce his sentence, neither he nor anyone else on his side proceeded with the fulfilment of the above sentence.
- In the high-profile decision of the Limassol Assize Court exactly 12 months earlier, the Russian driver who caused the death of 27-year-old Panagiotis Christoforou while under the influence of alcohol and substances, was charged with manslaughter and sentenced to 9 years in prison.
We wonder whether the Cypriot courts ultimately show leniency to the drivers who abandon their victims. Could it be that if the English driver of the Buggy who killed Camilla did not leave the scene, he would be sentenced to 9 years instead of 12 months?
Due to all the above, for the proper administration of Justice, but also to save other victims from such road behaviours and unjust decisions, we expect the Legal Service to proceed with an Appeal of the Sentence imposed on the English driver.»
