The diaries of a Scottish mother found dead in a Greek harbour 17 years ago may hold the clue to who killed her. Jean Hanlon, 53, from Dumfries, was discovered in the water in Crete’s Heraklion on March 13, 2009, four days after she disappeared during a night out.
The trial of a man accused of murdering Jean was halted just three days before it was due to begin in Crete. Her family had already travelled to the holiday island in the hope of finally seeing justice.
Diaries as Key Evidence
One major piece of evidence that took the case to court was Jean's diaries, discovered in her apartment by her sons after her death. They have been described as the "backbone of the investigation." A private investigator hired by the family used details from the diary to identify a suspect before passing his findings to Greek prosecutors.
Michael Porter, Jean’s youngest son, previously spoke about the diary find. He told the Sunday Mail: "Mum died on the evening of March 9, 2009, and her last entry was on the morning of the day she died. Me and David found mum’s diary in her apartment, along with years of others. It was an emotional find as it was giving us an insight into our mum’s life. It felt wrong as it was her private space, so it felt like we were intruding or breaching her privacy, but it was all for the right reasons."
Background of the Case
Jean moved to Crete in 2005, working in bars and restaurants in the coastal resort of Kato Gouves. Her death was initially reported as a drowning, but a second post-mortem suggested she had injuries consistent with a struggle, including a broken neck, punctured lung, and shattered rib.
Jean’s family have faced a series of setbacks in their battle for justice. The case was "archived" by local authorities in 2018, but in 2021, police confirmed a third probe into Jean’s case. The case was passed to the Greek Department of Organised Crime, which concluded that a crime took place leading to Jean’s death.
Private Investigator's Role
A report from private investigator Haris Fluskounis was passed to prosecuting authorities, leading to a major breakthrough. The diary led Haris to befriend the suspect in the case, who was known to Jean, and securing vital information led to the prosecution. A 54-year-old man originally from Crete is understood to have been charged in January last year.
However, in August, the case was thrown into doubt over claims of insufficient evidence from Greek officials. But the family’s legal team confirmed appeal judges at Heraklion Judicial Council had ruled that the man would stand trial for Jean’s murder.
Haris Fluskounis spent three months tracking down and interviewing people named in the diary entries. He then handed a 29-page dossier to police. The private detective said: "The diary was the backbone of the investigation because it revealed a timeline of a relationship. It doesn’t matter how many years a case has remained unsolved, evidence can always be uncovered."
Trial Postponed
The accused was set to go on trial tomorrow at Lassithi Criminal Court, Neapoli. But with just three days until the case was set to start, Michael learned that a postponement had been granted at a court hearing on Tuesday as his brothers David and Robert were preparing to board their flights. The family understands the accused had just recently instructed a lawyer who required more time to prepare the case.
The family now await a new court date for when the trial can get underway.
