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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Ryan Merrifield

Husband who murdered British wife Caroline Crouch 'sent love letters by infatuated women'

A twisted husband who strangled his wife to death is receiving love letters in prison from admirers, it has been claimed.

Helicopter pilot Babis Anagnostopoulos, 34, murdered British-born Caroline Crouch, 19, in front of their baby daughter Lydia at the family home in Greece.

He then killed the couple's dog before tying himself up in order to make it look like a break in gone wrong.

He claimed thieves had suffocated his wife, but his web of lies was eventually untangled.

Anagnostopoulos is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence - the toughest possible under Greek law - after being found guilty in May last year.

He is currently appealing his sentence.

Anagnostopoulos tried to make the murder look like a robbery gone wrong (Athena Pictures/REX/Shutterstock)

Prison guards are said to be "astounded" by the number of "fan mail" he receives at the high-security prison in Malandrino.

“We read, as is protocol, all the mail and have been left astounded,” one guard speaking on condition of anonymity told The Sun Online.

“They are written by women, Greek women, who say they are in love with him.

"They believe he is innocent, that Crouch’s murder wasn’t premeditated and everything happened in the heat of the moment.”

Caroline was strangled to death by her husband (Caroline Crouch/Instagram)

During his trial last year, a group of women had gathered outside the courthouse to show their support for him.

“By no means do I justify what he did,” Evaggelia Selekou, 52, told The Times.

“But he’s quite handsome and dashing, and I am 100 per cent sure that Babis acted in a fit of rage.”

Another middle-aged woman said: “He’s quite sensitive, not the narcissist they paint him out to be.”

Anagnostopoulos was a helicopter pilot (Athena Pictures)

“I think of him a lot,” she said, adjusting a thick gold necklace on her bright orange blouse. “I’ve collected pictures of him and pinned them on my bedroom wall.”

“If I could, I would try and visit him in prison. I am concerned that the nice chap that he is, he will not endure the prison time. I fear he may slash his wrists or something.”

Anagnostopoulos was brought to the appeal court today in handcuffs as he tried to get his sentence reduced - but the hearing was adjourned due to his lawyer Alexandros Papaioannidis being sick.

He is attempting to argue there were "mitigating circumstances" around the brutal murder.

Caroline's body was found next to her baby (Caroline Crouch/Instagram)

Last week, Caroline’s Liverpool-born dad, David, reiterated that his priority in life was to bring up Lydia, now almost three.

She is living in the Philippines with Caroline's mum Susan and other family.

Under a court order Anagnostopoulos’ parents are allowed to speak to her for only one hour a week via SKYPE or other electronic means.

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