Family of Brit expat accused of murdering terminally-ill wife issue plea
Family and friends of murder-accused David Hunter have implored the Cypriot judge ruling on his case to “please show some compassion”.
David, 75, will today discover his fate as a verdict is handed down in Paphos over whether he murdered his wife of 52 years Janice in December 2021 in their sunshine retirement home.
Retired miner David, from Ashington in Northumberland, insists his terminally ill wife, 74, had begged him to end her life.
He then tried to kill himself with a concoction of drugs.
He has been on trial for premeditated murder.
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Daughter Lesley Cawthorne told the Mirror: “All I can say is I’m dreading it. I’m hoping for the best but fearing the worst. I just want to implore the judges to please, please show some compassion.”
His family has asked the judge to "show some compassion" (PA)
After the killing, David tried to take his own life with a concoction of drugs (PA)There is no jury in the case meaning Judge Michalis Droussiotis, along with two others he sits with, will decide whether or not David is guilty of premeditated murder, which would likely mean he would die in a Cypriot prison.
In the village of Tremithousa, where David and Janice lived, pals are all pulling for him.
Neighbours Petra and Helmut Kesting will be in court supporting David, as will Barry Kent, a former miner who has travelled from Northumberland to be at his old friend’s side.
Petra, 66, said: “We are crossing everything for him. We will be there supporting David. We knew them for three years and Janice was ill from the very beginning.
"She got worse and worse every month. They were incredibly happy together.”
Barbara and David Britton, who live in the village near Paphos, said everyone believed David was innocent.
“We are all praying for him,” said Barbara, 74, originally from London.
Hunter has spent months in a Cypriot prison cell (Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)“Everyone here is supporting him, we’re totally for him and really, really hope he gets off. The man is no threat to anybody, what benefit is there to keep him in jail?
“It makes no sense. Surely the judge can also see that?”
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Owen Williams, 28, who lives in Cyrpus and shared a cell with David for 18-months after being jailed for petty arson, told the Mirror: “David is a wonderful person, I've come to see that over the past 18 months since I've been his friend.
“I sincerely hope that I can see my friend and speak to him with both of us as free men.
“I urge the court and everyone involved in making the decision on his future to show compassion and understanding.”
Daughter Lesley, 50, told GMB this morning (Thurs): “I want my dad to come home. I love my dad. I have no doubt that he was helping my mum in the way she wanted to be helped.
David and his wife Janice had been together for more than 50 years (Daily Mirror)
David's neighbours and others who knew the couple believe he's innocent (PA)“They were together for over 50 years. They were in love. They were happy. They had a good marriage. My dad is a good, good man and I want him home because that's what my mum would want, what I want and it's what we need as a family.”
In May David told Paphos District Court how Janice had pleaded with him for weeks to end her life, such was her suffering with terminal blood cancer.
He said through tears: “Fifty seven years - the last thing I would want to do is to kill my wife.
“It was her decision that she wanted to die, not mine - hers. It was her decision that she didn’t want any more treatment.
“She has her own mind and she asked me. I would never in a million years have done it. She wasn’t just my wife - she was my best friend. I didn’t just decide to kill her. I loved her so much. I still love her.
"You don’t know what we went through. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”
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