Final dismissal of educator for sexual harassment of junior secondary school student
An educator convicted irrevocably for the corruption of a minor lost his post in the public sector following an objection filed by the National Authority for Transparency.
Irrevocable conviction and removal from public service for educator who sexually harassed a minor
An educator who had been irrevocably convicted of sexually harassing a first-year junior secondary school student has been permanently dismissed from public service. According to Dikastiko.gr, this development came following an objection filed by the Administrator of the National Authority for Transparency, who initially considered the disciplinary penalty imposed on the educator to be too lenient.
The case began with a complaint from the student's mother, who reported that the educator isolated her daughter in the classroom and subjected her to verbal and physical harassment for three months. A sworn administrative investigation subsequently ordered concluded that there were serious indications of violation of the minor's sexual freedom.
In parallel, the mother filed a criminal report and the case was referred to criminal justice. In 2019, the Mixed Jury Court found the educator guilty of corruption of a child aged 12 to 14 years and of abuse of a minor under 14 years in indecent acts committed repeatedly, imposing a prison sentence of eight years.
The convicted person appealed, and in 2022 the Mixed Jury Court of Appeal unanimously convicted him, reducing the total sentence to six years and ten months of imprisonment. The educator subsequently appealed to the Court of Cassation with a request to quash the decision.
At disciplinary level, the First Instance Disciplinary Council decided in December 2022 to impose on him temporary suspension for 12 months with forfeiture of salary. The Council's President had dissented, taking the position from the outset in favour of permanent suspension as the only proportionate penalty.
Finding the 12-month temporary suspension disproportionately lenient in relation to the gravity of the acts, the Administrator of the National Authority for Transparency filed an objection before the Second Instance Disciplinary Council of the Ministry of Interior, seeking the permanent removal of the educator.
Whilst the disciplinary proceedings were pending, in 2024 the Court of Cassation rejected the request to quash, rendering the criminal conviction irrevocable. This decision brought about automatic removal of the educator from his post in the public sector, with permanent loss of his status as a public employee.
The National Authority for Transparency notes that the Second Instance Disciplinary Council fully upheld the intervention of the Administrator, accepting his objection and imposing the penalty of permanent suspension. This penalty was formally converted to a fine of 12 months, as the educator had already automatically lost his post due to the irrevocable criminal conviction.
Source: Dikastiko.gr