Cyprus Mail 13 December 2022 - by Nick Theodoulou
David Hunter, the 74-year-old Briton who admitted to killing his wife suffering from leukaemia, on Tuesday had his trial postponed for the seventh time this year.
The move came after prosecution called on Paphos criminal court to grant their team more time to review the developments after last week’s decision to change the charge from pre-meditated murder to manslaughter.
Andreas Hadjikyrou, of the prosecution, stated that the legal services had requested more time to review the new charges as they now anticipate Hunter will plead guilty to the charge of manslaughter.
The defendant’s lawyers, Nikoleta Charalambidou and Ritsa Pekri, did not object to the request but expressed their surprise.
The court subsequently approved the postponement but emphasised that this will be the final delay in the drawn-out proceedings.
Last December, Hunter admitted to killing his wife Janice, who had leukaemia, because he said he could no longer bear to see her suffer.
He suffocated her by blocking her mouth and nose with his hands while she was sitting in an armchair and then tried to kill himself.
Last week, Charalambidou and Hadjikyrou agreed that the mitigating circumstances in the case allow for the charge to be manslaughter instead of pre-meditated murder, as the prosecution had initially asked.
The mitigation of the charge will now have to be approved by the attorney general before being ratified.
Earlier this year, Hunter’s daughter Lesley Cawthorne urged judges to show him mercy.
“I understand they have to apply the law but I would like them to see beyond that and show some compassion,” she told the Daily Mail.
“My father is 75 years old, he is not a risk to society, he is not a risk to anyone, in fact the only person he is at risk to is himself.
“We just want him home with his family as the last few months have been so traumatic for all of us.”
