A British expatriate in Cyprus who killed his terminally ill wife has died in hospital today, his family has confirmed.
David Hunter's Death Confirmed
David Hunter, 78, was convicted of manslaughter in 2023 after he suffocated wife Janice, 74, at their residence in Tremithousa, near Paphos, in December 2021. She had been battling terminal blood cancer and had 'begged him for weeks' to end her life, Hunter's trial heard.
His heartbroken daughter Lesley Cawthorne, 53, confirmed today her father had passed away in a Cypriot hospital. Hunter, a former coal miner from Ashington, Northumberland, had been experiencing deteriorating health since his release from prison three years ago.
He is understood to have been hospitalised this week due to a urinary tract infection, but died suddenly today, Lesley said. Following Janice's death he was imprisoned for two years, but having served his time, was freed in the summer of 2023.
Life After Prison
He continued residing on the island to remain near his late wife's grave close to Tremithousa. They had been wed for 52 years and moved to Cyprus in 2002, reports the Mirror.
Lesley, from Norwich, said today: "We are devastated and the support over the last few years has meant the world to us."
Legal Challenges
Cyprus' attorney general challenged both the manslaughter verdict and the sentence imposed on Hunter, with additional court proceedings scheduled. The trial in Paphos was told that following the suffocation of Janice, Hunter had attempted to take his own life but was discovered by police officers who had been alerted by Interpol after he had contacted relatives to inform them of what had occurred.
The case attracted global media coverage as widespread debate emerged surrounding the mercy killing.
