The District Court in Burgas has imposed the strictest remand measure, "detention in custody," for three men accused of a brutal assault on 70-year-old Stoyan Tsifondarev in the village of Krushevets, near Sozopol. The defendants, Nikolay Krastev, Petar Petrov, and Kosta Petrov, were brought to the Burgas courthouse under heavy guard for the hearing.
According to information presented by the prosecution during the session, the three acted as accomplices in the crime, which took place on Thursday around 2:00 a.m. The aggression was directed specifically at the elderly man, who was struck on the back of the head with a baseball bat. Subsequently, the attackers tied the victim's hands with duct tape, beat him, and burned the skin on his arm with a lighter.
There is a discrepancy regarding the stolen funds. The District Prosecutor's Office in Burgas stated that the amount taken was 500 euros and 2,000 US dollars. However, the defense for the three detainees disputed these figures, insisting to the court that the stolen money was a significantly smaller amount. The lawyers for Krastev, Petar Petrov, and Kosta Petrov pleaded for lighter precautionary measures, such as "house arrest" or bail, but the magistrates rejected their arguments and sided with the prosecution's request.
Before the court, the defendants attempted to justify their actions by claiming they had been misled by information that there was no one in Stoyan Tsifondarev's house at the time. It is important to note that the attack on the elderly man took place on the morning of September 10. If found guilty of the charges of robbery, the three could face a prison sentence of 3 to 10 years. This ruling by the Burgas District Court is not final and is subject to appeal.