Greek pilot found guilty of murdering Brit wife Caroline Crouch and hanging their dog
16 May 2022, 15:36 | Updated: 16 May 2022, 16:35
A Greek helicopter pilot has been found guilty of murdering his British wife Caroline Crouch and hanging their dog from the bannister to fake a break-in.
Judges and jurors at Athens Mixed Jury Court heard concluded unanimously that Babis Anagnostopoulos was culpable of premeditated murder, and perverting the course of justice.
Anagnostopoulos, 34, suffocated his 20-year-old wife to death in May last year before cruelly killing her beloved dog Roxy.
Ms Crouch was horrifically tortured and suffocated with a pillow in front of her 11-month-old as she slept at the couple's house in Athens.
Anagnostopoulos then hung the family dog from the bannister in an attempt to stage a break-in.
Ms Crouch's body was found lifeless next to her crying daughter, while Anagnostopoulos had handcuffed himself to the floor, claiming his family had been targeted by a gang demanding to be handed hidden valuables.
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He had staged a break-in in an attempt to cover up the crime – a line of defence he maintained for nearly six weeks.
The incident shocked the nation and prompted authorities to announce a 300,000 euro (£254,000) reward for information about the crime.
Anagnostopoulos was arrested more than a month after Ms Crouch's death after attending a memorial service for her near her family home on the Aegean Sea island of Alonissos.
After abandoning the house invasion scenario, Anagnostopoulos claimed that Ms Crouch died following an altercation between the couple over the infant's care.
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Prosecutors maintained that he intentionally suffocated her while she was asleep.
The 34-year-old claimed he killed Ms Crouch in a fit of anger following a row that had “blurred” his senses, The Guardian reports.
Under Greek law Anagnostopoulos is likely to receive a 20-year prison term.
He is due to be sentenced later.
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