"We cut the final sentence by three years. First of all the first-instance court did not offer justification as to why [he was given a sentence] of 25 years ... the ruling does not include an explanation for this decision," said Riga Regional court judge Ludmila Poļakova.
"He has cooperated with the court and chosen the simplest process without the review of evidence. He has admitted everything and accepted all the compensation requests," the judge said.
The Imanta paedophile, identified as 22-year-old Nauris Pikšteins, was responsible for a string of sex attacks on young girls in and around the Imanta suburb of the Latvian capital, Rīga in 2014 and 2015.
Artist's impressions of the suspect appeared throughout the capital so that the 'Imanta paedophile' gained almost mythical status as a symbol of fear and depravity.