Court issues life sentence over meat cleaver murder

A Thessaloniki court on Friday sentenced a 27-year-old man to life in prison after finding him guilty of butchering a 65-year-old fellow-villager with a meat cleaver in 2015 in Apsalo, Pella.

According to local media, the 27-year-old told the court that he had killed the man after flying into a rage, as he had been sexually molested by the victim on several occasions when they used drugs together.

He also claimed that he was heavily inebriated and medicated on the night of the crime and should not be held responsible for his actions.

The court rejected the claims, stressing the heinous nature of the crime, as a coroner’s report confirmed the victim had 27 wounds to his head and body, had been choked and had his genitals cut off.