Final legal arguments were heard in a Northumberland man's 76-year-old trial who is accused of killing his critically ill wife.
Former miner David Hunter confessed to killing his wife Janice in 2021 at their Paphos, Cyprus, residence.
Due to his wife's blood cancer and her pleading with him to take her life, Mr. Hunter insisted it was assisted suicide. Additionally, he made an effort to kill himself.
Next month, a decision from three judges is anticipated.
Following the collapse of a plea agreement on the lesser charge of manslaughter in December 2022, Mr. Hunter is now facing a murder trial.
He claims that Mrs. Hunter begged him to end her life and that his actions amounted to assisted suicide. His legal team has made the same claim.
Ritsa Pekri, the defense attorney, stated on Thursday in court in Cyprus that the facts of the case involved "a crime of love and mercy.". .
She added that no evidence of violence or lack of love between the couple was presented in the testimony.
There was no evidence from the witness statements that he was tired of caring for his wife. The defense claimed at the final hearing that everyone present agreed that they were in love and that he took care of her.
For 56 years, the couple had been a unit. They retired from Ashington twenty years ago and moved to Cyprus.
The defense maintains that Mr. Hunter made an impulsive decision and that his wife's death was not planned.
According to a witness, they had an agreement to end their lives, but Mr. Hunter had only mentioned the possibility; no specific plan had been laid out. He insists that he said, "If I kill you, then I go," emphasizing the word "if.".
We believe that manslaughter would be the appropriate offense, according to Ms. Pekri. In Cyprus's legal past, there have never been any cases like this. ".
In their home close to Paphos, Mrs. Hunter asphyxiated to death in December 2021.
"Janice's death was not a good death," said prosecutor Andreas Hadjikyrou. It was a terrible and agonizing death. Her death was not a peaceful or painless one. ".
The nature of Mrs. Hunter's death "proved premeditation," according to Mr. Hadjikyrou, who spoke for about an hour in court on Thursday.
He claimed that any agreement between a husband and wife indicated premeditation. No matter the reason, [Mr] Hunter agreed to kill her, he asserted in court.
After stating that his wife was in pain, Mr. Hadjikyrou questioned Mr. Hunter's lack of outreach.
He questioned why, if Mr. Hunter was acting in accordance with his wife's wishes, there was no note or pre-recorded video.
He claimed that the defense's admission that Mrs. Hunter visited the hairdresser once every two weeks up until her passing showed that she was still taking care of herself and maintaining a social life.
Mrs. Hunter had not mentioned her desire to pass away to her daughter or brother, he continued.
The prosecutor asked, "How did she consent to such an awful death?
The trial, which has been ongoing for more than a year, was postponed until July 21, when the judges are anticipated to issue their decision.
