In court on Thursday, defence attorneys tried to undermine the testimony of a family liaison officer over her contention that Stylianos Constantinou – the teenager who took his own life in 2019 – had suffered severe neglect in the household.

The liaison officer, a witness for the prosecution, was being cross-examined by several of the defendants’ attorneys. The trial is ongoing at Nicosia criminal court, which is hearing charges that the boy’s family as well as the social welfare services were responsible for the circumstances leading to the suicide.

On trial are 11 people – Stylianos’ parents and nine social workers.

Due to the sensitivity of the case, the witnesses’ full names are not published, only their initials.

The liaison officer on the stand reiterated that, in her opinion, the social welfare services could have done a great deal more to help Stylianos.

Answering questions, she rejected an attorney’s comment that the boy may have been dirty because he was playing at the school sandbox.

The problem was the boy’s general state of neglect, she insisted.

At one point, Stylianos had reportedly told a teacher that he was unclean and that his mother did not take care of him.

When this was later raised with the mother, she denied it.

The witness also described the boy’s behaviour after a certain incident, noting that Stylianos had become introverted, did not speak, and appeared very sad.

An attorney submitted that both children and adults can lie or exaggerate. The witness acknowledged this, but added that other evidence was also considered.

The witness cited a report she herself compiled in April 2011, which included information provided by Stylianos’ primary school teacher at the time.

Among other things, the report spoke of incidents of “extreme abuse” of stray dogs around the family residence, or that the father often acted abusively – for example forcing his son to watch as he slaughtered animals on the family-owned farm.

The same dossier documented hygiene issues at home – such as the presence of mice and cockroaches. In addition, often Stylianos would get sent to school without breakfast.

One of the defence attorneys submitted to the witness that some of her observations were based on her personal opinion and her own interpretation of the social services manual concerning domestic abuse.

Stylianos committed suicide in September 2019, having made an earlier attempt in May of the same year.

Witnesses have testified about “warning signs” that were not heeded.

The trial continues on Friday.