Greek pilot’s ‘big sorry’ for killing wife Caroline
THE Greek husband of Briton Caroline Crouch last night issued a grovelling apology for killing her.
Babis Anagnostopoulos, 33, was emerging from a 10-hour court hearing when he told reporters: “I would like to say a big sorry. I wish I could go back in time but I can’t.”
Earlier as he entered the Athens court, the helicopter pilot faced shouts of “monster” and “killer” from crowds. Wearing a flak jacket and surrounded by armed police, Anagnostopoulos, 33, also heard yells of “rot in jail”.
He has confessed to smothering Caroline, 20, at their villa in the city last month after first claiming she was the victim of a bungled robbery while their baby slept.
One source revealed Anagnostopoulos has remained calm in the face of the public uproar over the murder and is acting “like the star in a crime drama”. He even claimed he should be given a shorter sentence so he can be part of his daughter’s life.
But prosecutors say he is guilty of a cold-blooded, calculated murder.
The couple, who married in 2018 when Caroline was 18, appeared to live an idyllic life in the wealthy district of Glyka Nera with daughter Lydia, now 11 months.
However, it has emerged Caroline was locked in a toxic relationship, constantly fighting with a violent husband even when she was pregnant.
On May 11, Anagnostopoulos removed the memory card from the villa’s security camera, rushed upstairs and smothered his wife to death. Her smartwatch revealed it took her six minutes to die. She is believed to have been sleeping when first attacked. Anagnostopoulos told police his wife was murdered by three robbers who burst into the villa.
But the killer’s account was exposed as a lie after detectives checked security devices. He later admitted killing his wife but insisted it was during a heated row.
Painful
His confession came hours after he had hugged his mother-in-law Susan Crouch at a remembrance service for the dead woman last week.
Lawyer Thanasis Harmanis yesterday said: “You understand the position of the mother who realised at some point that in the memorial service she was embracing the hands that took her daughter’s breath away. You understand how tragic and painful this is.”
Mrs Crouch and her husband David want joint custody of their granddaughter with the killer’s parents. Lydia is now with her paternal grandparents. Mr and Mrs Crouch want the little girl to spend time with them on Alonnisos where her mother grew up.
Anagnostopoulos has been charged with counts including premeditated murder, false testimony and filing a false police report about the robbery.
If convicted, he would face life. He was remanded in custody, likely to Korydallos, one of Europe’s worst jails.
Before the hearing, he sacked one of his lawyers. The killer had earlier been chatting with guards over what people were saying about him.