A British pensioner accused of the premeditated murder of his terminally ill wife must wait another week before knowing his fate after changing his plea to manslaughter.
Briton David Hunter, a former miner, faced a 25-year sentence if found guilty of plotting to kill his wife, but a deal was reached to have him plead guilty to manslaughter.
But Monday’s scheduled hearing to change the plea and hear the facts of the case was adjourned until 13 December.
“We remain hopeful that David will be sentenced before Christmas.
“There is no precedent for this kind of case in Cyprus, and the court will have to look at how sentencing is dealt with in other common law jurisdictions for cases such as this to come to a fair sentence.
“With David’s strong mitigation, that he was acting on his wife’s request, that he is of previous good character, and that he was in a loving relationship with his wife for more than 50 years, we remain hopeful that the court may give a sentence which can be suspended.
“In Cyprus, any sentence of up to 3 years imprisonment can be suspended,” said defence lawyer Michael Polak.
Polak is Justice Abroad’s director, defending the 75-year-old Briton who has remained in custody for nearly a year.
David and Janice Hunter, teenage sweethearts, had lived together for over 50 years when, just before Christmas last year, the 75-year-old allegedly urged her husband to end what had become a life of extreme suffering due to advanced leukaemia.
Hunter said he finally succumbed to his wife’s wishes, using his hands to block her air passages and smother her to death in the sitting room of the couple’s rented maisonette in Tremithousa, Paphos.
He then attempted to take his own life by overdosing on prescription pills and alcohol before being found by police.
The defence argued it was a case of assisted suicide, not premeditated murder.
Hunter had pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife in what is believed to be the first euthanasia case in Cyprus.
The family is raising funds to assist with legal costs to bring David home.
To donate, please visit https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/help-bring-david-home/
The family is overwhelmed by the generous donations they have received, and they thank every person who has donated.
UK-based Justice Abroad has been set up to help those trying to find their way through foreign legal systems and represent those facing gross breaches of their human rights.
