David Hunter faces return to prison as Cyprus government issues 11th-hour appeal
David Hunter’s freedom in Cyprus will be put on hold after the Attorney General appealed both his sentence and acquittal at the last minute.
Today was the final of 10 days in which his manslaughter conviction - which last week saw him freed after 19 months in jail - could be appealed. David, 76, was freed last Monday and was starting a new life for himself in the village of Tremithousa, near Paphos, where he lived with late wife Janice, 74.
He suffocated Janice in December 2021 to end her suffering from terminal blood cancer.
Michael Polak from Justice Abroad, which represents David, said: “We are obviously very disappointed with the Attorney General’s decision to appeal today which gets in the way of David getting on with his life. He has spent 19 months in prison and faced legal proceedings over that period that would be difficult for anyone, but especially for someone of his age.
The Cypriot government has appealed David Hunter's manslaughter conviction (AP)“This is a very sad matter; however it is difficult to see how the continued pursuit of David assists anyone. We will continue to fight for David before the Appeal Court of Cyprus as we have done throughout the lengthy mission to free David.
Brit facing life in jail for killing ill wife vows to stay in Cyprus if freed
“David would like to thank everyone from Cyprus, the United Kingdom, and around the world who have shown such strong support during his trial and since his release.”
David's daughter Lesley Crawthorne added: "The family is devastated by the decision and would again urge compassion for my elderly and frail father.
“We continue to be so very grateful for all the support we have had.”
David was found not guilty of premeditated murder last month, with “no evidence” to suggest it was a pre-planned killing - something he had always denied. He was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 2 years in prison, which he had already completed - meaning he was freed.
Following his release, David spoke of the harrowing moment he suffocated his wife to end her pain, before attempting to take his own life with an overdose. He has revealed the final four words his wife said to her before she lay to rest.
David told Janice he loved her just before covering her mouth and nose, as they both sobbed. He recalled: "She just closed her eyes and said ‘give us a kiss’, and I kissed her on the cheek.
“She looked nothing like my wife. Those are the nightmares I still get, I see her face in those nightmares. And they are always so vivid. There are always lots of faces, all Janice's face, and I turn around and think she is by me — but she's dead.”
in a Cypriot court, detailed how he eventually assisted his wife in suicide, through a translator. He said: “For five or six weeks before she died she was asking me to help her, she was asking me more every day.
“She said, ‘I can’t go on, this isn’t the life for me. We just go to the hospital and stay at home’. She started becoming hysterical, so I told her, ‘Yes, I’m going to help you. I won’t tell you how and when.'"
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