The Mixed Jury Court of Giannitsa sentenced the owner of the amusement park in Pefkochori, Chalkidiki, to life imprisonment plus an additional 8 years, where a 19-year-old lost his life in August 2024.
The court found all four defendants guilty of the tragic accident. The owner was convicted of manslaughter with possible intent and attempted manslaughter with possible intent, while his wife, a co-owner of the business, was found guilty of simple complicity in those crimes.
The owner’s wife was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment, suspended, and barred from leaving the country. The operator of the “Crazy Dance” game was sentenced to 6 years’ imprisonment, suspended, with corresponding restrictive conditions, while the mechanic was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment, suspended, a ban on leaving the country, and a bail bond of 20,000 euros.
The operator was found guilty of causing death by negligence, as well as endangering others and causing bodily harm in connection with the injury sustained by the victim’s brother. The engineer was convicted of simple complicity in manslaughter and attempted manslaughter with possible intent.
In her closing argument, the prosecutor argued that the “Crazy Dance” machine was in an advanced state of corrosion and was essentially unfit for operation. As she noted, it was a homemade machine lacking the necessary safety standards, and its collapse was only a matter of time due to extensive wear and tear.
The prosecutor also pointed out that the necessary maintenance work had not been performed, that the machine was not properly anchored, and that the young operator had not received the required training. According to her, the ride was operating without any meaningful safety measures, a fact that played a decisive role in causing the accident.
