British pensioner David Hunter is escorted to a custody van at Paphos Assize Court in Cyprus
(Picture: PA)A British pensioner arrested over the death of his terminally ill wife in Cyprus faces life in prison after a manslaughter plea was thrown out, according to reports.
David Hunter, 75, is charged over the death of his wife Janice, 74, who died in December 2021 at the couple’s retirement home in the coastal resort town of Paphos, where many of the up to 60,000 British expatriates in Cyprus live.
The details surrounding how his wife died have never been made public.
She was on heavy medication for a type of terminal blood cancer at the time of her death.
Prosecutors and his defence team thought they had come to an agreement last month that Mr Hunter would face a manslaughter charge.
But on Tuesday this was thrown out of court and upgraded to a murder charge meaning that the former miner from Northumberland could face life in a Cypriot jail.
Mr Hunter’s daughter Lesley, who lives in Norwich, tearfully told MailOnline: “I’m just shocked and stunned. We are devastated and just don’t know how this has happened.”
Michael Polak, director of Justice Abroad helping Mr Hunter’s defence, had previously said he was pleased that the murder charge was no longer on the table.
“At the next hearing David’s strong mitigation, such as his good character and long and loving relationship with his wife, will be put before the court”, he said.
“We hope, given the particular facts of this case, and case law in similar cases from around the world, that the eventual sentence is one that the court could consider suspending.
“We thank everyone from the United Kingdom, Cyprus, and around the world for their support of David and his family at this difficult time.”
Earlier this year, Mr Hunter’s daughter Lesley told The Mirror that her mother had “begged him for a long time (to assist her death) and was very clear about what she wanted”.
