A British pensioner jailed for killing his terminally ill wife in Cyprus was released after spending nearly two years behind bars. David Hunter (76) spent two years in jail for the manslaughter of his wife Janice (74).
The couple enjoyed 52 years together.
Fulfilling a wife’s wish
The court heard that Janice was suffering from blood cancer, and wanted David to end her life. During the trial, David told the court that his wife “cried and begged” him to end her life.
Hunter’s lawyers argued that his wife’s death was not murder, but assisted suicide.
David already spent 19 months in custody, serving the majority of his sentence according to the director of Justice Abroad, Michael Polak. Polak has been representing Hunter.
When asked how he was feeling, a visibly emotional Hunter said that he “can’t describe it.”
RELATED: More arrests expected after massive counterfeit goods bust in Bellville
A deadly act of ‘love’
David’s legal team argued for a suspended sentence, in a case that was a legal first in the country. The team initially suggested a release by August 18. But prison authorities freed Hunter on Monday, after calculating his release date.
Judges also previously found him not guilty of premeditated murder.
During mitigation last week, Hunter’s defense lawyer Ritsa Pekri said David only wanted to “liberate his wife from all that she was going through due to her health conditions”. The court heard it was Janice’s “wish” to die, and David had nothing but “feelings of love for her”.
David showed the court how he put his hands over his wife’s mouth and nose. Janice died of asphyxiation at their home near Paphos, Cyprus in December 2021.
David reportedly tried to commit suicide by taking an overdose, but medics arrived in time to save him.
RELATED: LEAP officer killed in Mitchell’s Plain gang shooting
Polak said in a statement that his client was “very pleased” with the outcome.
The couple’s daughter, Lesley Cawthorne, told Sky News that it was “the best” she could have “hoped for in the circumstances”.
The photo we have all been waiting for. A great result for the Hunter family and the team today. David Hunter has been released from prison. @MichaelPolakLaw https://t.co/vlk8GSBu3u pic.twitter.com/0s9vzguQuL
— JUSTICE ABROAD LTD (@expertsabroad) July 31, 2023
