Larnaca abductor back in court

The criminal trial in the Larnaca abduction case continues on Wednesday, with suspect Yiorgos “George” Nicolaou facing charges of kidnapping and drugging two school boys.

(Click here for an update to the story)

Back in November, the defendant admitted kidnapping and false imprisonment charges, but he denied he had ever drugged the boys.

Nicolaou was arrested on September 25, several hours after kidnapping two students at Kamares primary school in Larnaca. He was arraigned in early October behind closed doors, accused of coaxing two 11-year-old boys into following him to his apartment nearby the school where he spiked their lemonade, rendering them incoherent.

Eight hours following a massive search in Larnaca and elsewhere on the island, officers apprehended the 35-year-old suspect in his apartment where it turned out he was keeping the boys the whole time.

The boys were found in the bedroom and were reportedly disoriented.

Reports said prosecutors might consider dropping some charges or modifying them, but it was not clear whether a plea bargain was offered to the defendant.

Nicolaou is currently facing charges including kidnapping, abduction with the intent of false imprisonment, public intoxication, and wrongful imprisonment.

The drugging charges alone, if proven in court, could carry life imprisonment as a maximum sentence.