Two police officers testified on Friday about a 2013 assault on Stylianos and a subsequent report that his mother feared for her safety, as proceedings continued before Nicosia District Court in connection with the minor’s death in September 2019.

Sergeant T.N. and police constable H.T. gave evidence concerning incidents involving Stylianos’ family in 2013.

Before the sergeant’s written statement was read, defence lawyer Constantinos Kazantzis, representing Stylianos’ father, objected to a reference to his client’s previous conviction, arguing that it was irrelevant and had already been examined by another court.

Prosecution lawyer Elena Constantinou argued that the father had been portrayed as loving and non-abusive, and that the prosecution was entitled to introduce evidence challenging that portrayal.

The court dismissed the objection, ruling that evidence of previous convictions “does not automatically lead to the defendant’s conviction, nor does it affect the presumption of innocence”. Its significance would be assessed alongside the remaining evidence.

The sergeant, who served at Pera Chorio-Nisou police station between 2012 and 2014, then described a complaint made by Stylianos’ mother on May 14, 2013.

The mother had arrived at the station with her three children, accompanied by a Social Welfare Services officer, reporting that her husband had struck Stylianos in the face the previous day at the family farm.

She said that when she intervened, her husband attacked her and pulled her hair. Stylianos reportedly left the farm on foot. According to the mother, the incident had been triggered by the death of a sheep.

Stylianos and his mother were taken to hospital, where doctors found bruising to the left side of the boy’s face. No visible injuries were identified on his mother.

The sergeant said arrangements were made for Stylianos to give a video-recorded statement, but his mother initially refused, saying she did not want to cause him further distress by making him recall what had happened with his father.

Stylianos eventually gave his statement on July 7, 2013, after written consent was obtained from Social Welfare Services.

The court heard that on December 3, 2014, his father received a three-month prison sentence, suspended for three years, for assaulting the minor. The mother had withdrawn her own complaint.

During cross-examination, the sergeant acknowledged she had not been present when Stylianos gave his recorded statement. Asked why the father had not been arrested, she said officers had followed instructions from their superior.

She also confirmed that criminal proceedings had been based on statements from both Stylianos and his mother.

Police constable H.T., who served at Kokkinotrimithia police station, subsequently testified about an incident on October 18, 2013.

He said a Social Welfare Services officer had contacted police after Stylianos’ mother expressed fears for her safety following a visit by the child’s father to her parental home, where she was staying with her children.

Officers visited the property, but the mother told them she and the father were having a friendly conversation and that she would contact police if necessary.

Under cross-examination, the constable said he could not remember whether the father was present when police arrived and could not rule out the possibility that the mother had falsely claimed he was there.

He said this was the only incident involving the family he had handled and that there had been no further contact with the mother.

The hearing continues on Monday at 11am.