British man cleared of murdering terminally ill wife in Cyprus

A Northumberland man's been cleared of murdering his terminally ill wife, at their retirement home, after a court in Cyprus delivered the verdict today.

Former miner David Hunter - originaly from Ashington - was on trial for killing his spouse of 52 years, Janice, who died of asphyxiation in December 2021 at the couple's retirement home near the coastal resort town of Paphos.

He now may be able to leave prison, after being found guilty of manslaughter, rather than murder.

The 76-year-old denied pre-mediated murder - which carries a mandatory life sentence - and told a court his wife, who was 74, was suffering with blood cancer and "begged him" to end her life.

Michael Polak, director of Justice Abroad, said he may be able to get a suspended sentence and be able to leave prison in light of the verdict.

In May, Hunter broke down in tears as he told his trial that he would "never in a million years" have taken Janice's life unless she had asked him to.

He added: "She wasn't just my wife, she was my best friend."

Mr Hunter's daughter, Lesley Cawthorne, revealed earlier this week she was "Hoping for the best but fearing the worst" ahead of the court date today.

She said her father is "anxious, tired and lonely" and the past "19 months has taken a huge toll on him".

"I think the hope has been crushed out of him," she said.

"He would probably tell other people he's keeping his chin up but I see how much he's struggling."

Ms Cawthorne said the family has been "worn down" by the long trial and the court's previous ruling that a confession Hunter made when he was arrested could be used as evidence against him.

"He was very clearly not in his right mind when they took it," she said.

The pensioner's defence team argued his confession should have been inadmissible during the trial, claiming he was suffering from dissociation at the time, but a judge found Hunter was lucid and dismissed the application.

Giving evidence in May, Hunter told the District Court in Paphos he would "never in a million years" have taken Janice's life unless she had asked him to, adding: "She wasn't just my wife, she was my best friend."

Hunter demonstrated to the court how he held his hands over Janice's mouth and nose and said he eventually decided to grant his wife's wish after she became "hysterical".

Hunter, from Ashington in Northumberland, said: "For five or six weeks before she died she was asking me to help her. She was asking me more every day.

"In the last week she was crying and begging me. Every day she asked me a bit more intensely to do it."

Hunter told the court he tried to kill himself after his wife's death.

When the police arrived to quiz him after his suicide bid failed, he said he "was interested in nothing".

During closing speeches in June, Hunter's defence team said it was not a case of premeditated murder and Hunter "acted spontaneously" to end Mrs Hunter's life "upon her begging him to do so".

A panel of three judges handed down the verdict following a lengthy trial.

He will be sentenced on July 27.

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