David Hunter: British husband who killed wife in Cyprus released

David Hunter was convicted of the manslaughter of his wife Janice, 74, in an assisted suicide at their Paphos home in 2021 and jailed for two years.

The ex-miner, 76, from Northumberland, was freed after spending 19 months in custody awaiting trial.

Outside court Hunter thanked his colliery "family" for their support.

He had told the trial his wife had "cried and begged" him to end her life as she suffered from blood cancer.

On the steps of Paphos District Court, he told the BBC: "I'd like to say thank you to all the people who've donated to me, and especially my mates and my workmates.

"I don't know where I would be without them."

"When you work in a colliery, you're a family."

Asked how he was feeling, he said: "I can't describe it. I'm sorry. I wish I could, I wish I could find words to describe it, but I can't.

"When you're under pressure for two years, not knowing which way it's going to go."

His legal team had argued he should be given a suspended sentence, in a case which was a legal first in the country.

They had initially suggested he would be released by 18 August, but prison authorities freed him on Monday after they officially calculated his release date.

In mitigation last week, his defence lawyer Ritsa Pekri said his motive was to "liberate his wife from all that she was going through due to her health conditions".

Couple's idyllic retirement that ended in a killing

The court heard it was Mrs Hunter's "wish" to die and that her husband "had only feelings of love for her".

Hunter, who was originally from Ashington, said he would "never in a million years" have suffocated his wife of 52 years unless she had asked him to.

He showed the court how he held his hands over Mrs Hunter's mouth and nose and said he eventually decided to grant her her wish after she became "hysterical".

The court heard he then tried to kill himself by taking an overdose, but paramedics arrived in time to save him.

Sentencing Hunter, judge Michalis Droussiotis said the court was "not facing a typical case".

"This is a crime that goes against human life, which is the highest virtue. Taking it is a crime," he said.

"Before us is a unique case of taking human life on the basis of feelings of love, with the aim of relieving the person of their suffering that came due to their illness."

'Deepest gratitude'

The couple's daughter, Lesley Cawthorne, from Norfolk, described the past 19 months as a "living nightmare" for the family.

"I'm elated and relieved that my darling dad has been released. Today is the start of us being able to rebuild our lives," she said.

"Dad's release also means we can finally grieve for my mum and I hope everyone can respect our privacy whilst we take the time to come to terns with her loss.

"So many people have worked hard and supported our efforts to bring my dad home, too many to mention but you know who you are and you know you have our deepest gratitude."

After talking to her father over the phone, Ms Cawthorne added: "Speaking to my daddy was the most amazing thing. I feel like my heart has been put back together."

She said she believes that, rather than returning to the UK immediately, her father will stay in Cyprus so he can visit his wife's grave and "say his goodbyes properly".

Mrs Hunter is buried a short distance away from the couple's former home in Tremithousa - a quiet village about three miles from the coastal resort town of Paphos.

Michael Polak from Justice Abroad, which has been representing Hunter, said the sentencing had not been straightforward "given that a case like this has never come before the courts of Cyprus before".

He said "extensive sentencing case law" had been submitted from across the world in the effort to aid their client.

"The result of today's hearing, and the court's previous decision finding Mr Hunter not guilty of murder, is what we have been fighting for in this case, and David is very pleased with the outcome today," he said.

"This has been a tragic case and difficult for all of those involved with it, but today's decision was the right one and allows David and his family to grieve together."

A plea deal, which would have seen Hunter admit manslaughter, was agreed with prosecutors in November but the murder trial went ahead after a U-turn by Cypriot authorities.

-bbc