Shoe sniffing man convicted of disturbing neighbors

THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — A judge in northern Greece on Thursday imposed a one-month suspended prison sentence on a man convicted of disturbing his neighbors by repeatedly sneaking into their property to smell their shoes.

The 28-year-old Greek man told the court in Thessaloniki that he could not explain his behavior, which he said had caused him great embarrassment.

He emphasized that he had no intention of breaking the law or harming anyone, and neighbors stated that he never showed any signs of aggression during his nightly visits.

The man was arrested before dawn on October 8 in the small town of Sindos, about 15 kilometers west of Thessaloniki. Police had been called after a neighbor found the suspect in his front yard sniffing his family’s shoes, which had been left outside to air out.

The court heard that at least three similar incidents had occurred in the past six months, despite neighbors asking the suspect’s family to make him stop.

The man was ordered to attend therapy sessions.