A British man who killed his terminally ill wife at their home in Cyprus has been cleared of murder but was instead found guilty of manslaughter.
Hunter denied premeditated murder, which carries a mandatory life sentence. He will be sentenced on July 27.Michael Polak, director of Justice Abroad, told PA news agency that, due to the lesser charge, Hunter may be able to get a suspended sentence and be able to leave prison in light of the verdict. In May, Hunter broke down in tears as he told his trial that he would “never in a million years” have taken Janice’s life unless she had asked him to.
Before he finished giving evidence, he asked to address the judge, who he told: “My wife was suffering and she actually said: ‘I don’t want to live any more,’ and I still said no. Then she started to become hysterical. I was hoping she would change her mind. I loved her so much. I did not plan it, I swear to God.”After giving evidence he told reporters his time in a Cypriot prison was “nothing” compared to the last six months of Janice’s life.
They have also argued a confession he is said to have made when he was arrested should not have been used against him, claiming he was suffering from dissociation at the time. A judge found Hunter was lucid and dismissed the application.