British tourist has jail term doubled for Napa crash

A 25-year-old British tourist had his jail term doubled to two-and-a-half years after the prosecution service appealed the lenient sentence for the hit-and-run death of a Swedish mother in the holiday resort of Ayia Napa.

The Briton was originally found guilty in July and handed a one-year prison sentence by the Famagusta district court, and his license was suspended for 18 months.

But the island’s state prosecution service felt the sentence was too lenient and immediately appealed the decision.

The attorney general’s office issued a statement on Friday saying the “Supreme Court unanimously accepted the appeal for the inadequacy of the sentence imposed by the district court of Famagusta”.

It added: “On 1 December, the prison sentence was increased to 2.5 years, sending the appropriate message to society that provocative, selfish driving behaviours, which result in the loss of human lives, should be addressed with rigour.”

The Briton was involved in the killing of 46-year-old Camilla-Christina Pamdahl, who was on holiday with her five-year-old daughter, on 4 May.

She was the victim of a fatal hit-and-run accident at a pedestrian crossing in the ‘party resort’ of Ayia Napa, popular with British tourists.

He was found guilty of causing death due to a reckless or dangerous act, driving a vehicle under the influence of drugs, abandoning the scene of an accident and failing to report it.

The 25-year-old man was the driver of a beach buggy which had hit another vehicle before striking the woman at a pedestrian crossing on Nisi Avenue in Ayia Napa.

The driver initially abandoned the scene on foot, leaving the rental vehicle behind.

Police said the driver was nearly five times over the legal alcohol limit of 9 mg with a test reading of 44 mg.

He also tested positive for cannabis in his system when arrested.