Greek man convicted of causing disturbance by entering neighbors' properties to smell their shoes

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

The 28-year-old Greek man told the Thessaloniki court that he was unable to explain his behavior, which, he said, had caused him great embarrassment.

He stressed that he had no intention of breaking the law or harming anybody, and neighbors testified that he never displayed any sign of aggression during his nocturnal visits.

The man was arrested before dawn on Oct. 8 in the small town of Sindos, about 15 kilometers (9 miles) west of Thessaloniki. Police had been called after a neighbor found the defendant in his front yard sniffing his family's shoes, which had been left outdoors to air.

The court heard that there had been at least three similar incidents in the past six months, despite neighbors having asked the defendant's family to get him to stop.

The man was ordered to attend therapy sessions.