David Hunter: Further wait for retired miner awaiting sentence for killing wife in Cyprus

• Watch Katie Cole's report

A former British miner who killed his terminally-ill wife to end her suffering is facing a further wait to find out his fate.

David Hunter is now due to be sentenced next week for the manslaughter of Janice, 74, his wife of more than 50 years.

Mrs Hunter died of asphyxiation at their home near the coastal resort town of Paphos in December 2021.

The 76-year-old, from Ashington, Northumberland, was cleared of the more serious charge of premeditated murder last week.

He was due to be sentenced by the court in Cyprus on Thursday 27 July but the case was adjourned until Monday.

The delay was met by dismay from Hunter's friends in Northumberland, who had gathered at Ellington Colliery Institute in the hope of getting good news.

Barry Kent, who has spearheaded efforts to raise money for Hunter's legal fees, said: "I have to say I'm shocked but not surprised. It's another episode in this whole sorry saga. They are playing with a man's life.

"I'm really concerned. The difference in the David I saw last September and the David last week, shuffling into court - he's a shell of a man. It's quite devastating to see."

John Harbertson, who travelled from Whitley Bay to join his friends, said: "We were hoping for some good news. I feel so sorry for David and his family, for what they've gone through.

"David was a good friend to all of us. Miners stick together and we still do."

Steven Hankinson, also at the club, added: "I'm absolutely gutted. They've absolutely crucified Davey, they've got him hanging over a cliff with his legs. It's soul destroying. Who knows what he's feeling? It's absolutely destroying him."

At a hearing on Thursday, the court heard Hunter had killed his wife to "liberate" her from her suffering.

Hunter’s defence team argued that he should be given a suspended sentence, which would allow him to leave prison having spent 19 months in custody.

After hearing submissions from both the prosecution and defence, the judge at Paphos District Court said Hunter will be sentenced on Monday 31 July.

In mitigation, his defence lawyer, Ritsa Pekri, said his motive was to “liberate his wife from all that she was going through due to her health conditions”.

The court heard it was Mrs Hunter’s “wish” to die and that her husband “had only feelings of love for her”.

“There was no personal benefit for him,” Ms Pekri added.

She described Hunter as “a quiet, family man that has never troubled the authorities” and said witnesses spoke of him “looking after his wife during a difficult time of her life”.

The defence team said there have been no similar cases in Cyprus and so they had instead drawn from similar cases in New Zealand, Australia and Canada.

“We believe the suitable decision drawn from these cases is a suspended sentence,” Ms Pekri said.

State prosecutor Andreas Hadjikyrou argued that the Hunters’ case “was not one of euthanasia”.

Michael Polak, director of Justice Abroad, which is representing Hunter, said: “We gave lengthy written submissions which include case law from across common law countries such as Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and Australia.

“This is important as Cyprus has never sentenced a case such as this before.

“Cases from those jurisdictions show that a suspended sentence can be given in these circumstances.

“We will be asking the court to give David a suspended sentence. He has spent the equivalent of almost two-and-a-half years in custody and no proper purpose would be served by him spending more time in prison.”

Hunter told his trial, which lasted for more than a year, that his wife “cried and begged” him to end her life as she suffered from blood cancer.

He broke down in tears as he said he would “never in a million years” have taken Mrs Hunter’s life unless she had asked him to.

He showed the court how he held his hands over his wife’s mouth and nose and said he eventually decided to grant her wish after she became “hysterical”.

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