David Hunter: British husband who killed wife in Cyprus released

A British man freed by a Cypriot court after being sentenced for killing his seriously ill wife has said he could not find words to describe his release.

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.

David and Janice Hunter retired to Cyprus 20 years ago, living near the resort of Paphos

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."

Hunter spoke to the media outside court after he was released from custody

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

The couple were married for more than 50 years

Previously state prosecutor Andreas Hadjikyrou had told the BBC Hunter killed his wife for "selfish motives", adding: "It's himself he was taking care of."

He had told the court Janice died from asphyxiation, telling three judges it was a "horrible death" and her end was "not painless or peaceful".

Prosecutors said Janice still went to the hairdresser every fortnight which, they said, proved she had a social life and took care of herself.

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."

From court

Fiona Trott - BBC News North of England correspondent

When David Hunter walked into court he told me "It's the most nervous I've ever been". But he seemed happier and chattier than he'd been before.

After last week's manslaughter verdict, the fear of a life sentence was behind him. Today, there was hope.

Then, after a 30-minute hearing, the judges told him he'd be sentenced to two years in prison, but take into account the time he'd already spent in custody.

There was confusion. His lawyers started calculating when he would be released. They confirmed a deadline of 18 August but a short while later, something extraordinary happened. David Hunter walked free.

Slowly and steadily, he made his way out on to the court steps and said he hoped his family back in the UK were feeling the same way he was. They were.

His daughter Lesley told me: "I'm in tears and speechless." She'd even managed a video call with him. "He told me he loved me," she said, "and not to worry, because everything will be OK."

Hunter killed Janice at the home they shared near Paphos

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

"I thought I'd lost him forever. I cannot believe it. It's amazing. I just didn't think, after the way the case has gone, that this was possible," she said.

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

"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 terms 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."

'Loving relationship'

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 town of Paphos.

Hunter has not been able to visit his wife's grave since she died

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 added his client's release was "everything we were hoping for".

"He was facing a charge of premeditated murder, which carries a life sentence which would have resulted in [him] dying in prison here in Cyprus. Then two weeks ago he was found guilty of manslaughter," he said.

"The judge gave a very balanced view of the case [today], talking about the sanctity of life but also speaking about the particular circumstances of this case.

"They'd been together for over 50 years. It was a loving relationship.

"When you've got someone there asking you to end their life because they're in so much pain, to make that decision must have been immensely difficult.

"It's a decision that we all hope we're never going to have to make in our own lives."

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.