Well-known comedic actor in Greece jailed in relation to decades-old sexual assault charges

A well-known television and theater comedic actor and director in Greece was remanded to custody on Tuesday by an Athens magistrate and prosecutor following his testimony in relation to official allegations of one rape and two attempted sexual assaults by three different women.

The performer, Petros Filippidis, first provided sworn testimony to the magistrate assigned the investigation into the allegations, and following the initial probe of the claims by law enforcement. He has vehemently denied the allegations leveled against him.

The trio of women are also actresses, and the alleged incidents date back as far back as 2008, 2010 and 2014. Their allegations form the basis of a preliminary indictment compiled by the Athens prosecutor's office against the man, who also operated his own theatrical troupe and staged productions.

The investigation against Filippidis comes after a handful of similar allegations of sexual assaults and harassment in the country's entertainment industry, a Greek version of "MeToo" that was initially sparked by an Olympic sailing champion's claim of being assaulted more than two decades ago by a sailing federation official.

An individual in Greece may be jailed pending trial, or even for the primary investigation to continue, for a maximum of 18 months. Filippidis' jailing, by all accounts, means that the magistrate has determined that enough evidence exists for a trial on felony charges, although a subsequent prosecutors' council must actually file the charges leading to a court trial.

Magistrates have the right to request the pre-trial remand of an individual considered a suspect in alleged offences that are particularly grievous, or if the individual is considered at risk for committing similar offences or if the individual is considered at risk of destroying evidence.