Family’s fury as Greeks abandon hunt for mother’s killer
THE family of a Scots mother feared murdered in Crete yesterday spoke of their heartbreak after prosecutors shelved the inquiry into her death.
The body of Jean Hanlon was found in a harbour on the Greek island four days after she sent a text reading ‘Help me’ to a friend.
Police wrote off her death as an accidental drowning but a coroner’s report demanded by her family found the mother of three had a suffered a number of serious injuries.
These included shattered ribs, a punctured lung and facial wounds – and her neck had been broken before she entered the water in March 2009.
Her clothing and shoes were scuffed, suggesting she had been dragged, while her phone and bag were missing.
New evidence led to the case being reopened in August 2016 but Miss Hanlon’s son, Michael Porter, has said the probe has now been ‘archived’.
The 33-year-old said: ‘On Wednesday I received an email from our lawyer explaining that a new judge assigned to the case has decided to archive it, which is them saying nothing more will be done without new evidence. As a family we can’t accept it.
‘Regardless of whether my mum was killed accidentally or whether it was murder, her body was dumped in the water and we need to know why.’
Miss Hanlon, 53, from Dumfries, moved to Crete in 2005 after her marriage broke down.
Family and friends say the grandmother, a former hospital secretary, had been enjoying life in the sun working for cafes and bars.
On the day she disappeared – March 9, 2009 – she left her apartment in Kato Gouves, a tourist spot near the Crete capital, Heraklion, and met a Scottish friend.
The woman told police Miss Hanlon had said a car had been following her, but that she did not seem distressed.
Miss Hanlon later went for a job interview at the Blue Sky Taverna, where owners said she got the post and left happy – although she departed abruptly.
That evening, a Belgian friend from Kato Gouves called Miss Hanlon. She said she was in a Heraklion cafe with a man she did not know, who did not speak any English and who ‘was a bore’.
The friend told police she ‘sounded drugged’.
An hour later Miss Hanlon sent her friend a one-word text saying ‘HELP’. He did not reply. It was the last anyone heard from her.
Her body was found floating in Heraklion’s port four days later.
Mr Porter said the family would like to trace a man seen talking to his mother the day she vanished. He was described by a waitress as aged around 65, with white hair and a white beard.
Mr Porter – who told MPs of his heartache at Westminster on Wednesday – said the family’s Greek lawyer, Apostolos Xiritakis, has withdrawn from the case.
He also criticised the Government for not doing more to help.
Mr Porter, an actor, said: ‘It was heartbreaking to be told by the lawyer we have worked with for seven years that he didn’t feel he could add anything more.
‘We’ve felt isolated in having to deal with foreign authorities. UK embassies don’t do enough to help families in our situation – the attitude seems to be that they don’t want to upset the host country and local authorities should be left alone to investigate.
‘At no point has the UK consulate put pressure on the Crete authorities to look into my mum’s death, even after the post-mortem showed all the injuries she had.
‘Despite the setbacks, we will continue to fight for justice.’
Mr Xiritakis confirmed the case had been ‘temporarily archived’.
But he added: ‘The case is now before a woman investigating magistrate, who will decide when to pass it to the new prosecutor – who can order a reopening of the investigation. These procedures will be completed within 2018.
‘New evidence must be brought forth in order to give the case new momentum.’
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: ‘Our staff in Greece and London have provided support to Miss Hanlon’s family and we will continue to do all we can to assist them.’
‘Body was dumped in the water’