Child sex predator gets five years

A 26-year-old man from Nicosia has been sentenced to five years after being found guilty of sexual harassment against teenagers.

According to court documents, the man used social networking programs such as Facebook and Viber to befriend teenagers and exchange images of a sexual nature.

In one case, according to media reports, the man met with one of his teenage victims, who was said to be very close to the age of consent, and they reportedly had sexual intercourse.

The man pleaded guilty to stalking minors and sexual harassment of underage persons, with the Nicosia Criminal Court sentencing him on Friday to five years in prison.

Other lesser sentences were also handed down related to charges of sexual molestation, possession of and gaining access to child pornography, and stalking children for sexual purposes.

Reports said the convicted man did not have a criminal background while he is expected to lose his job following his sentencing.

Neither the age nor the gender of the victims were made known during the hearing behind closed doors.