A British pensioner accused of killing his terminally ill wife has unveiled how prison authorities refused him permission to go to church on the anniversary of his wife’s death.
David Hunter, 75, has been in jail on remand for extra than a calendar year after staying arrested and accused of murdering his spouse Janice, 74, who was suffering from blood most cancers, at their retirement dwelling on the island.
Past month legal professionals symbolizing him stated they had been led to believe that that a plea discount was agreed and that he would plead responsible to manslaughter on agreed details paving the way for a possible release on compassionate grounds.
But as an alternative the decide at a district court in Paphos, a vacation resort in western Cyprus well known with Britons, made the decision to push forward with his case as a murder trial.
British pensioner David Hunter, 75, has discovered how jail authorities refused him permission to go to church on the anniversary of his wife’s demise (pictured today)
David Hunter has been in jail on remand for extra than a 12 months after remaining arrested and accused of murdering his wife Janice, 74, who was struggling from blood most cancers (pictured these days)
The pair from Northumberland retired to Paphos 20 several years in the past and were being married for 46 years
The facts of how Mrs Hunter died have not been made public.
Today as he sat in courtroom he disclosed how he had asked officials at Nicosia jail if he could attend church very last month to commemorate his wife’s dying on December 18, 2021.
He said: ‘I put it all in composing but I in no way heard back from them, so I did not get a prospect.
‘I had truly preferred to go and created the ask for via the appropriate channels but failed to get a reply. So if I failed to get a reply, it meant they refused me permission.’
Speaking of the prevent-start process of the demo he claimed: ‘It’s all definitely stress filled, you establish you up the night just before and you get up at 5.30am on the working day for a 90-minute drive from the jail to the court and after a several minutes it is adjourned.
‘The back and forth just drains you and it leaves you deflated but I will get each and every working day as it comes and I have set my religion in my authorized staff and my family.’
The pair from Northumberland retired to Paphos 20 a long time in the past and Mrs Hunter had been suffering with blood most cancers, a issue her sister had died from.
They were being married for 46 years and Janice was on significant medicine for a style of terminal blood cancer when she died.
Final month judges significantly turned the circumstance to a murder trial – following Hunter was anticipated to plead responsible to manslaughter
Mr Hunter said he just wished the trial could be more than so he could start to grieve his spouse (the pair are pictured on their wedding ceremony working day)
Last thirty day period David’s daughter Lesley, who lives in Norwich and is pictured right here with her mother and father, spoke of the frustration at the cease start trial and informed MailOnline: ‘I’m just shocked and surprised. We are devastated and just really don’t know how this has happened’
British pensioner David Hunter is escorted into a custody van at Paphos Assize Courtroom in December
Mr Hunter, a former British miner, said in September right after a court appearance that Janice had been diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and immediately after seeing her sister die of the disease, she ‘knew what was coming’.
He stated: ‘She was not just my spouse, she was my greatest buddy. It really is like a black hole.
‘Janice’s sister had died from leukemia and she observed what was coming.’
Mr Hunter has told police a pact existed concerning him and his wife and that immediately after she had died he had experimented with to take his individual existence but he experienced been observed immediately after relatives alerted law enforcement.
Paramedic Kleovoulos Kleovoulu explained to the court docket that when he arrived he observed packets of tablets in the residence and that they had ‘all been taken.’
When requested by the prosecutor Andreas Hadjikyrou what David’s psychological condition was he reported that it ‘wasn’t’ his work to ‘diagnosis someone’s psychological condition’.
David extra how his spirits experienced been stored up by a fellow British cellmate, who he discovered as a 28 calendar year previous from Southampton.
He mentioned: ‘I’d instead not say what he is in for but he’s held my spirits up. He can help me and I aid him, by way of laughter definitely. He’s the one who has definitely stored me heading.’
When requested by MailOnline how he had put in Christmas he replied: ‘It was just like any other day, so it built no difference to me.’
He extra: ‘I’m handled relatively and with regard and everyone’s been great to me so I won’t be able to complain. I just want it to be around so I can get on and grieve, I want to keep in Cyprus. My spouse died here and I want to continue to be here.’
Very last thirty day period David’s daughter Lesley, who lives in Norwich, spoke of the aggravation at the cease start out trial and informed MailOnline: ‘I’m just stunned and shocked. We are devastated and just don’t know how this has took place.’
The spouse and children have established up a funding site to aid pay out for defence charges and have lifted just over £28,000. If discovered guilty he faces lifestyle in jail
These days as he sat in court docket Mr Hunter unveiled how he had requested officials at Nicosia prison (file image) if he could go to church previous month to commemorate his wife’s demise on December 18, 2021
She added: ‘Our side has always acted in excellent faith and we truly thought we had arrived at an comprehension, so to have the rug so instantly pulled appears to be unnecessarily cruel.
‘There is a damaged family members below so this approach wants to be about extra than lawful level scoring. If they are really interested in justice, probably they would like to acquire my views and feelings into account.’
Following the paramedic concluded providing proof there was pressure as he discovered he could not connect with his next witness, Dr Nectarios Sidiropoulos as he was a occupied GP and he was ‘unavailable all week’ decide Michalis Droussiotis purchased he surface straight away or he would ‘issue an arrest warrant’.
He added: ‘There are numerous medical practitioners in Paphos, he arrives listed here now,’ ahead of halting the circumstance so he could be contacted.
When the court docket resumed a couple of minutes afterwards the prosecutor confirmed Dr Sidiropoulos would be accessible on Wednesday and the demo was adjourned right until then.
Cyprus is an Orthodox Christian region the place euthanasia is forbidden although MPs are looking at debating a law to enable it in extraordinary instances.
The family have established up a funding web site to assist pay back for defence prices and have elevated just about £28,000. If located guilty he faces lifestyle in jail.
Support Bring David Dwelling (crowdjustice.com)
