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Portuguese man condemned to 3 years in prison for kidnap

Xinhua, January 16, 2015 Adjust font size:

A Portuguese man who allegedly kidnapped a child in 1998 was condemned on Thursday to three years in prison, national broadcaster RTP reported.

Afonso Dias, who was accused of abducting Rui Pedro, 11 years old at the time, is currently abroad and has 10 days before he is punished with three years in prison.

Dias, a motorist, had been acquitted by the court of Lousada because there was no sufficient evidence, however Pedro's family decided to push the case further, and Dias was judged guilty by Portugal's Supreme Court.

Pedro disappeared on March 4, 1998, in Lousada city, around 290 km north of capital Lisbon.

Ricardo Sa Fernandes, the lawyer of Pedro's parents, said the decision by the Supreme Court puts a "full stop" to a legal "battle of over 15 years", adding that it was a "consolation" for the family.

However, he also said Pedro's parents hadn't given up on finding out where he is.

Dias' lawyer, Paulo Gomes, said he would take the process to the European Court of Human Rights. Endit