THE sentence of Dimitrios Patsantzopoulos, aka Jimmy Patsan, has been delayed once more, drawing the matter out for another two weeks.
The 86-year-old has been convicted of historical sex offences on three victims then aged between six and nine years of age, dating back to 1976.
He was subject to a judge-alone Special Hearing in 2020 on 13 charges and was convicted of nine counts of indecent assault on a child under 10 years of age, ranging in seriousness from sexual touching to oral sex on and by the offender.
The victims reported being too scared to tell anybody about the assaults, and that he threatened them afterwards, saying: "If you say anything, I will call you a liar."
Patsan was best friends with the father of one of the victims who came to know him as 'Uncle Jimmy'. He was in a relationship with the mother of the other two victims who are sisters.
Patsan was also well known in the community as co-owner of 'Jimmy and Nick's Hairdressers' on Beaumont Street, Hamilton, and a member of the local Greek church.
He was first reported to police in 2013 but was not charged until all three brought their matters to police in 2018.
Judge Robert Sutherland has indicated he will impose a three-year term but has not yet said how that will be served. On Monday he allowed for Patsan to be detained in a nursing home until he can be assessed by the Mental Health Tribunal in relation to the impact of a stroke he suffered in 2014.
Patsan is expected to come back to court for the matter to be finalised on June 18.
