Prominent actor and director Dimitris Lignadis is set to face a retrial before an Athens appeals court over three alleged rapes of underage boys after prosecutors successfully challenged an earlier ruling.
The Mixed Jury Appeals Court accepted the prosecution’s appeal against the first-instance decision, meaning Lignadis will now be tried on three charges and faces the possibility of a harsher sentence if convicted.
In July 2022, Lignadis was convicted at first instance for the rape of two 17-year-old boys in Athens and Epidaurus in 2015. He was sentenced to a total of 12 years in prison, suspended pending appeal. The court found him guilty by a 4-3 majority but acquitted him over two other allegations involving a 16-year-old boy and an adult man who did not appear in court.
The appeals trial was postponed until Thursday, according to state broadcaster ERT, as the court considers a defense request to appoint a specialist psychologist to examine the alleged victims and attend their testimony. The prosecutor supported the request but asked for the proceedings to be adjourned.
Lignadis has denied any wrongdoing.
