A court in central Greece has convicted a 30-year-old Romanian man who was arrested after allegedly secretly photographing underage girls and women wearing swimsuits on a beach in Stylida, a coastal area in eastern Greece.

The incident took place on Sunday, June 14, when a group of minors reportedly noticed the man’s behavior and immediately informed both police and their parents. Officers responding to the scene later found three relevant photographs on his mobile phone.

Prison sentence converted into fine

Following a trial lasting around two hours, the court found the defendant guilty and imposed a 24-month prison sentence. However, the sentence was converted into a monetary penalty of 10 euros per day. The three days he had already spent in detention were deducted from the total.

The appeal filed by the defendant had suspensive effect, meaning the penalty is not immediately enforced pending further legal process. The prosecutor had previously recommended a guilty verdict in line with the charges.

No mitigating factors recognized by the court

The defense argued that there was no intent to commit wrongdoing and claimed the photographs did not reflect organized or aggravated misconduct. It also cited the defendant’s previously clean criminal record and expressed remorse.

However, the court did not accept any mitigating circumstances. During proceedings, the parents of the minors strongly reacted to the incident, stating that “an apology is not enough to protect minors,” underscoring public concern over the case.