Paphos court hears mitigation for father in fatal hotel fall

A British father who pleaded guilty to negligence following the death of his three-year-old son in Cyprus will be sentenced on October 16. The sentencing follows an emotional hearing at the Paphos District Court.

The incident occurred on July 12 at the King Evelthon hotel in Chlorakas. While the family was preparing to go to dinner, the father lifted the child near a large fourth-floor window. The child fell approximately 12 meters through an opening that the father believed was closed by a glass pane.

During mitigation proceedings, defense lawyer Alexandros Alexandrou argued that the defendant's guilty plea acknowledges a momentary lapse in judgment rather than willful negligence. The defense requested that the court consider the lifelong emotional toll on the family, stating that the loss serves as sufficient punishment. The prosecution noted that while the father's blood alcohol level was slightly elevated, they were not alleging drunkenness.