Leros: Trial set for 59 year-old German national on child sexual abuse charges

The Court of the Dodecanese has scheduled the trial of a 59-year-old German national for 2 June 2025 on the Mixed Jury Court of Rhodes. The accused, who was arrested on Leros in August 2024, faces multiple charges related to offences committed in 2019, including possession of child sexual abuse material and attempted sexual abuse of a minor.

Authorities arrested the man following an investigation by the Greek Cyber Crime Division, which uncovered numerous photos and videos depicting sexual abuse of minors. According to police, he had contacted a foreign minor and sent sexually explicit images.

The suspect, already known to the local police for a previous arrest in 2019 for attempting to engage in sexual acts with a minor, is now held in pre-trial detention. During the initial investigation, a 48-year-old woman reported to Leros Police that the man had approached her son in the street, offering him money in exchange for sexual acts. Similar attempts were reportedly made through Instagram, where he allegedly sent the boy images and offers of payment for sexual encounters.

A court-approved search of the suspect’s residence revealed a significant amount of digital material, including eight mobile phones, a laptop, SIM and memory cards, and a camera. Child sexual abuse content was found on two devices and sent for forensic examination.

The charges he faces include:

• Engaging in sexual acts with a child aged 12–14
• Possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material involving children under 15
• Child grooming

In his statement, the defendant denies all allegations, claiming his confession resulted from police violence.

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Additional cases of child pornography possession via the internet have also been filed against a 20-year-old student and a 71-year-old retiree in Crete. Police searches in Leros and Crete led to the seizure of mobile phones and USB drives.

Source: dimokratiki.gr
(Translation and editorial adaptation by Leros News)