The British Bases Court in September imposed a 25-month prison sentence on a father who was found guilty in a case involving domestic violence.
A statement from the Bases states that "police officers received anonymous information that voices were being heard from a house in the Dhekelia area, but once they arrived at the scene, the man's family remained silent."
It is added that "according to police, the family, whose identity has not been disclosed, appeared unwilling to cooperate before officers noticed that one of the four children began making facial expressions and signaling danger with gestures."
Lieutenant Commander Fanos Christodoulou said that "after recognizing the signals, the police officers immediately arrested the man who was taken into custody. Obviously this was an extremely painful situation for the family, which could very easily have continued," he said.
He also added that "it took great bravery for the child to communicate with our police officers" and expressed relief that "the police who were at the scene were able to recognize the distress signal with gestures and transport the family to a safe place."
It is noted that "the international distress signal by gesture is made by holding the hand up with the thumb folded into the palm and then folding the four fingers down, covering the thumb."
