British man who killed his fatally ill wife in Cyprus avoids murder conviction

TW: mentions of murder, suicide attempt

Last December, a tragic event shook the peaceful seaside resort of Paphos, Cyprus, when a 74-year-old woman, Janice Hunter, was found dead in her home. Her 76-year-old husband, David Hunter, was accused of committing the murder by asphyxiating her. However, the complex and heartbreaking story took an unexpected turn when the Cypriot court decided to clear him of the murder and convict him of manslaughter instead, as Sky News informs us.

His wife begged him to kill her

At his trial, David Hunter, a former coal miner from the north of England, spoke of the terrible circumstances surrounding his wife's death. Janice was terminally ill with blood cancer and, according to David, she 'begged' him to put an end to her unbearable suffering. Faced with her heart-rending request, he finally gave in, causing her death by suffocation by covering her mouth and nose.

David Hunter's lawyers had attempted to plead assisted suicide to mitigate the charges against him, but this defense was rejected by the court. Despite this, the judges opted for a lesser sentence by re-characterizing the murder charge as manslaughter. This decision was greeted with some relief by the couple's family, notably their daughter, Lesley Cawthorne, who had hoped that the court would show compassion and leniency in their sentence.

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The family man attempted suicide

After the tragedy, David Hunter attempted suicide by taking medication, before alerting his brother. He then explained to the police in great detail how he had suffocated Janice to put her out of her misery.

In his heartbreaking testimony in court last May, David spoke of his close relationship with Janice, describing her not only as his wife, but also as 'his best friend'. This emotional distress left a deep mark on him.

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This article has been translated from Oh!MyMag FR.

Sources used:

Sky News: David Hunter not guilty of murdering terminally ill wife in Cyprus but convicted of manslaughter