The police officer who fatally shot 16-year-old Kostas Fragoulis has been handed a three-year suspended prison sentence. The court ruled to downgrade the charge from a felony to a misdemeanour, changing it from manslaughter with possible intent to manslaughter committed in excess of legal self-defence due to negligence.

The incident occurred during a police chase in western Thessaloniki in December 2022. The pursuit began after officers were informed that the teenager had driven off in his father’s pickup truck from a petrol station without paying €20 for fuel.

During the hearing, the prosecutor also recommended that the charge be reduced, a suggestion that was accepted by the court in a 6–1 vote. One juror dissented, arguing that the officer should have been acquitted.

In his testimony, the officer had claimed he acted in self-defence, saying that his colleagues were in danger due to the way the vehicle was being driven. He also stated that he had aimed at the vehicle’s tyres.

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