In a recent legal case in northern Greece, a judge has handed down a suspended one-month prison sentence to a 28-year-old man found guilty of troubling his neighbors by repeatedly invading their properties to sniff their shoes.

During proceedings at the Thessaloniki court on Thursday, the individual expressed difficulty in explaining his peculiar behavior, which he acknowledged had caused significant personal shame.

He emphasized that he had no intention of violating the law or causing harm, and testimonies from neighbors confirmed that he had not shown any aggressive tendencies during his late-night excursions.

The man was apprehended in the early hours of October 8 in the town of Sindos, located approximately 15 kilometers (9 miles) from Thessaloniki. Law enforcement responded to a report from a neighbor who found him in their yard, where he was caught smelling shoes left outside to dry.

The court learned that there had been at least three other similar incidents reported over the past half year, despite neighbors’ requests for his family to intervene and halt his actions.

As part of the ruling, the man has been mandated to participate in therapy sessions to address his unusual conduct.