David Hunter was freed from prison after being found guilty of his wife’s manslaughter
Cypriot prosecutors are appealing against the manslaughter conviction of a British man who killed his seriously ill wife, his lawyers have said.
David Hunter, 76, was accused of murdering his wife Janice at their home in Cyprus in 2021 but was convicted of manslaughter and released from prison.
The retired miner from Northumberland said his 74-year-old wife, who had cancer, begged him to kill her.
It is understood he could face new charges of premeditated murder.
Justice Abroad, which represents Hunter, said it would work with a “top team of lawyers to fight for” him after the Attorney General appealed against both the verdict and sentence.
Michael Polak, from the organisation, said: “We are obviously very disappointed with the Attorney General’s decision to appeal which gets in the way of David getting on with his life.
“He has spent 19 months in prison and faced legal proceedings over that period that would be difficult for anyone, but especially for someone of his age.
“This is a very sad matter, however it is difficult to see how the continued pursuit of David assists anyone.”
Image source, PA Media
David Hunter visited his wife Janice’s grave the day after being released from prison
Mr Polak said his client wanted to thank all those in the UK and abroad who had supported him during his time in custody.
He said Hunter had initially agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter but “that resolution was taken away by the prosecutor on the day it was to be entered” at court.
The murder trial was then held in Paphos before three judges agreed it was “not a case of premeditated murder” – which carries a mandatory life sentence in Cyprus – and Hunter “acted spontaneously” to kill his wife after she was “begging him to do so because of the pain she was under”, Justice Abroad said.
Hunter was given a two-year sentence on 31 July but was immediately released.
The following day he visited his wife’s grave for the first time.
Image source, Family handout
David and Janice Hunter retired to Cyprus 20 years ago
Mr Polak said it could be months before they were given a Court of Appeal hearing date.
At that hearing judges will decide if the pensioner will face the original charge of premeditated murder.
Hunter is currently not the subject of any bail conditions and is free to stay in Cyprus or travel to the UK.
Hunter, from Ashington, Northumberland, was a miner for more than four decades before the couple retired to Cyprus 20 years ago.
They had been teenage sweethearts and were married for more than 50 years.
The trial heard Mrs Hunter had blood cancer and begged her husband for several weeks to end her suffering before he finally suffocated her at their home near Paphos.
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