British tourist jailed for 21 years for Cyprus road death

A British tourist was sentenced to a total 21 years in jail Friday for causing the death of a Cypriot teenager who was riding his moped in the holiday resort of Protaras last summer and seriously injuring the passenger.

Julian Harrington, 39, was found guilty for the manslaughter of 17-year-old Christos Papiris and was sentenced to 15 years in prison for ramming his car onto the victim’s moped.

The court also sentenced Harrington to a further six years imprisonment for causing grievous bodily harm to Papiris’ friend Marios Demetriou.

In its decision the court said that human life is an invaluable blessing and taking it away is the most serious crime, the state-owned Cyprus News Agency reported.

It also said that Harrington committed “heinous acts” without hesitation.

 “The defendant did not regret and had no qualms even when the victims were thrown off the motorcycle,” the court said adding that Harrington “left the scene and tried to cover any evidence.”

“That behaviour shows a person with no sign of remorse,” the court added.

Harrington’s nephew, Michael Binnington, 21, and his friend Luke Atkinson, 22, were acquitted of the same charges last week after they had pleaded not guilty.

The Cypriot police said that the Britons who were driving a rented vehicle, had repeatedly hit the motorcycle driven by Demetriou and Papiris on August 17, 2006.

The two youngsters were taken to a nearby hospital at the eastern coastal town where Papiris was pronounced dead. His friend was seriously injured.

Papiris’ parents said they were satisfied with the sentence imposed on Harrington, but had earlier expressed their anger at the release of the other two.