Doujon Zammit's parents fear co-accused may escape punishment for son's killing
'It is us who have been handed a life sentence' - victim's parents
The family of murdered Maltese-Australian tourist Doujon Zammit have expressed disappointment that two men convicted of complicity in the killing of their son have not been put behind bars.
Doujon Zammit was bashed to death outside a nightclub on the Greek Island of Mykonos in July 2008. He had been in Malta a few days earlier to meet relatives.
The nighclub's bouncer, Marios Antonopoulos was jailed for 22-and-a -half years for causing injury which led to Zammit's death.
George Chatzioannou and Dimitris Varonas were convicted of complicity in the attack and handed prison sentences of just over seven and eight years respectively.
But they have escaped jail after the court granted them bail of €10,000 when their lawyers said they would appeal.
Doujon's parents Oliver and Rosemarie Zammit were present throughout the trial and said afterward that it was they who had been handed a life sentence through the loss of their son.
"Two men that have been proven to be dishonest are going to be walking the streets," Mr Zammit told reporters in a broken voice.
"Two men that have the financial ability to leave this country and never come back so they won't have to serve their time."
All three accused had the charges against them downgraded during the trial.
The bouncer had originally been accused of murder, Chatzioannou and Varonas were accused of being accessories to attempted murder.
But the court changed the charges to causing fatal bodily injury and involvement in causing bodily harm.
Conviction on a murder charge would have made Marios Antonopoulos liable for a life sentence. He has also declared his intention to appeal, but will be kept in jail.