Prosecution begins appeal against British expat David Hunter who was jailed in Cyprus for killing terminally ill wife

25 October 2023, 22:51 | Updated: 25 October 2023, 22:55

Prosecutors have begun their appeal against the verdict and sentence handed to British expat David Hunter who was jailed for killing his terminally ill wife.

David Hunter, 76, was released from prison in Cyprus on July 31 after a court sentenced him to two years in jail for the manslaughter of Janice, his wife of 52 years.

Mr Hunter, a retired miner from Ashington, Northumberland, was released on time served and good behaviour, having already been in prison for 19 months awaiting trial.

Hunter was cleared of premeditated murder but found guilty of manslaughter by a three-judge panel.

But now prosecutors have taken the case to the Court of Appeal in Nicosia, arguing against his acquittal of murder and sentence for manslaughter.

An appeal hearing is expected to take place around April or May next year.

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Michael Polak, director of Justice Abroad, representing Mr Hunter said: “After spending more than 19 months on trial and in custody in Nicosia prison, when the Assize Court of Paphos finally found David Hunter not guilty of murder in July and sentenced him for manslaughter resulting in his immediate release, we thought that the legal proceedings were over for him.

"For anyone, but especially someone of David's age, it is obviously very stressful to have the possibility of being sent back to prison for life hanging over their head.

"Although we are disappointed with the decision to pursue David further, we will continue to fight for David, and we thank everyone from Cyprus, the United Kingdom, and around the world who have been supporting him so strongly."

Giving evidence in May, Hunter told the District Court in Paphos he would "never in a million years" have taken his wife's life unless she had asked him to, adding: "She wasn't just my wife, she was my best friend."

After his release, he said: "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.”