Lithuanian man sentenced to one year in prison for assaulting police and drug possession in north Cyprus

The Lefkosia Assize Court has sentenced Roland Rackaukas, a Lithuanian national, to one year in prison for multiple offenses, including assaulting police officers, trespassing, causing property damage, and drug possession, following an incident in Gönyeli.

The verdict was delivered on Tuesday August 26.

According to the court ruling, on June 14, 2025, at around 10:40 p.m., Rackaukas arrived at the residence of a 24-year-old woman, identified as N.B., and began banging on her door aggressively. When N.B. slightly opened the door, the defendant forced his way inside without permission, thereby committing trespass.

Inside the apartment, he damaged three coffee cups and one glass, causing property damage estimated at 250 TL.

Police officers from the Gönyeli Police Station were dispatched to the scene following a complaint. During the arrest attempt, Rackaukas struck one officer in the mouth with his arm, causing the officer’s tongue to tear. He was subdued using reasonable force. A subsequent court-ordered search of his residence uncovered 0.5 milligrams of cannabis, which was seized as evidence.

Rackaukas admitted to the charges of trespassing, property damage, assaulting and obstructing police, and drug possession. He expressed remorse, apologized to both the victim and the court, and asked for leniency, stressing that it was his first offense.

The judge, delivering the verdict, noted that while the amount of drugs was small and the defendant had no prior criminal record, the nature of the offenses — particularly entering someone’s home without consent, causing damage, and assaulting police officers — left the court with no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence.

“The defendant, as a foreign national, violated the laws of this country by unlawfully entering another’s home, behaving inappropriately, causing deliberate damage, obstructing and assaulting police officers, and committing a drug-related offense,” the judge stated.

She emphasized that drug-related crimes are considered serious and widespread, posing threats to public health and safety. For this reason, deterrent and effective sentences are necessary.

However, the court also took into account mitigating factors, including the defendant’s early guilty plea, expression of remorse, clean criminal record, the language barrier he would face while serving his sentence abroad, and the time he had already spent in custody.

After weighing both aggravating and mitigating factors, the court sentenced Rackaukas to one year in prison.