A 19-year-old student was sent to prison, who sat on the bench of the Single-Member Criminal Appeal Court of Thessaloniki, accused of participating in a gang that committed robberies and thefts, in various areas of the urban complex of Thessaloniki, with loot of more than 6,000 euros. The court sentenced him to 6.5 years in prison, judging that he had a leading role in the action of the “unripe” gang.

In the same court, three more young people, two 19-year-olds and a 20-year-old, were referred to be tried, who were sentenced to prison sentences of 5.5, 3 and 2.5 years, respectively, but unlike the student, it was decided to release them, in view of the Court of Appeal, with restrictive conditions, including their participation in sessions with a social worker.

The indictment included seven robberies and one attempted robbery committed between March and April of this year targeting cafes, convenience stores, gas stations, as well as six thefts, most of which were attempted.

The defendants made restitution to their victims and the court granted them the mitigations of postadolescent age and sincere remorse.

The student, who was found guilty of robberies which he carried out with the threat of either a knife or a screwdriver, spoke of “recklessness and immaturity” in his apology. “I realized early on that I was doing something stupid and that’s where I stopped. Then in prison I realized I did something wrong,” he said, apologizing to the victims.

He mentioned that in the mornings he went to the University and in the afternoons he helped his father at work, while he spent the money from the robberies and bought gifts for his brother. When asked by the court how they got the idea to carry out these acts, he replied: “from videos on the internet and the music we were listening to”.

According to the same indictment, the young man who was sentenced to 5.5 years in prison allegedly assisted the student in committing the robberies, driving his mother’s car or two-wheeler during the escape. The remaining two were found guilty of individual acts of the indictment.