A 71 YEAR-OLD British pensioner was rushed to hospital following a vicious attack allegedly carried out by a construction worker building a retired couple’s dream retirement bungalow.
The attack took place last Saturday as the pensioner was inspecting the progress being made on the couple’s new home. He was rushed to Larnaca hospital where he remained overnight under observation and was released on Sunday after receiving treatment for his injuries. He is now waiting to see a specialist.
The couple signed contracts to build the bungalow in late 2005 in the eager anticipation of spending their retirement in Cyprus. However, their dream turned into a nightmare as the builders ran out of money and started demanding further payments to complete their new home.
Last year a lawyer, who the couple had recently appointed to help resolve their problems, obtained a judgment from the court in their favour instructing the landowner, from whom they bought the property, to complete the bungalow at the price originally agreed.
Many of their belongings, which they had stored in the bungalow, have gone missing; presumably stolen.
We understand that the 71-year-old has made a statement to the police and we will bring you further news on this story as we receive it.
Although rare, such attacks have occurred before. Most notably the two attacks on Conor O’Dwyer in 2006 and 2008. The later attack left Mr O’Dwyer hospitalised for several days. In that case the judge sentenced property developer Marios Karayiannas and his son Christoforos to 10-months in jail, suspended for two years.
Touch anything here with a barge pole? you must be joking! With Disgust. R.B.
@youknowwho – naming the builder at this time may prejudice legal proceedings.
I do have the names of all the parties involved and will publish them when it is appropriate to do so.
Name the builder!!!!!!!
Ugh! How ugly can Cyprus become? Presumably it goes without saying, the courts will obfuscate in favour of their “ownâ€Â. The perpetrator (a man in the prime of life) attacks another (an elderly man). What a coward! What is the civilization that will excuse him?
Surely civilization may be described as a community where people respect others, where contracts are honoured or enforced by efficient court administration; when the minority misbehave Courts should be ready to reasonably swiftly mete out justice…
Is Cyprus a civilized place? It is questionable – and the answer should have consequences. Based on the regular bad things that are accepted by the Establishment of Cyprus, it certainly seems to me that that Cyprus is Not A civilized place. Let the world beware.
Shame on Europe that it turns a blind eye to Cyprus – it should be expelled from the EU in disgrace.
Just how many more nails can this particular coffin take?
This is one awful story and points up vividly the Attitude of some, not all of course, Cypriot builders and the patronising and sometimes downright illegal ways in which they ‘treat’ innocent Purchasers.
Their use of violence such as reported may well, as suggested, be quite unusual in Cyprus but it does accentuate other deeper, wider ‘non-violent’ abuses that non-Cypriot property purchasers are so frequently subjected to.
This needs to be brought to the attention of UK and wider media, Holiday Homes from Hell, whatever, but also to the dailies to really get the message across: OK, there aren’t too many Brits looking to buy in Cyprus anymore, mainly a product of the Economic recession etc. And this won’t do much in the way of +Ives for those already on the Island who have suffered, or are currently suffering, from the overall lack of control, regulation, legal and government support that could help eradicate the systemic/endemic abuses that have gone on for so long.
The poor chap, 7 years waiting for, haggling over the completion, or otherwise, of his ‘dream retirement house’, demands made upon him for more money, his belongings stolen it seems, and ends up in hospital as a result.
Awful, truly awful and NEEDS all the publicity possible to raise, reinforce awareness of the huge problems that can beset anyone acquiring new, especially new-build properties in Cyprus.
Neanderthal tactics from spoilt brainless morons who have been told they cannot have their own way. We now need to see what sentence is passed against them as in fact a suspended sentence is no punishment at all.
In the case of Conor O’Dwyer the criminals got away freely thanks to the bizzare mental process of the judge which could only have given the green light to others to do the same knowing they would not be punished. Even if the suspended sentence is overturned it cannot be guaranteed to be in favour of a custodial sentence, this is the Cypriot judicial system/circus we are dealing with, and if it is would that be enough to compensate Mr O’Dwyer and his family.
I do hope these two gentlemen see true and moral justice done for what they have sufferred. Another nail in the coffin containing the remains of home sales to foreigners. Well done Cyprus we are certainly and predictably ensuring our future.
It will not stop here. Their goose that laid the golden egg, has learned she will not get fed. There will be more.
This is good press for the Cypriot building industry isn’t it?
The State are appealing against the suspended sentence against the Karayiannas’s, so the ‘suspended’ part may no longer be applicable very soon and they will be where they belong for their vicious attack. These developers have to start realising that they cannot get away with such violence and corruption any longer.