Lawyer accused of beating wife is led to jail

A criminal lawyer accused of brutally beating his wife was led to Korydallos prison on Thursday, after an investigative magistrate ruled that he had breached his restraining orders.

Initially, Apostolos Lytras, 52, had been released after testifying to the investigative magistrate and the prosecutor, with the obligation to move out of his house where he lived with his wife, Sofia Polyzogopoulou, also a lawyer. He was also banned from approaching or contacting her, and ordered to attend a program for domestic violence offenders. 

However Lytras allegedly contacted the victim via message and added her to a group chat to persuade her to relinquish a sum of money at their home. Then, on Tuesday, Lytras’ former wife and their eldest daughter visited the home where Polyzogopoulou was recovering from the assault, presumably to find the money. Polyzogopoulou activated a panic button upon their arrival and subsequently filed a complaint against the former wife for disturbing domestic peace and against Lytras for violating the court order.

The investigative magistrate issued a warrant for his arrest and Lytras handed himself in.