‘WE’LL FIGHT FOR GREECE DEATH BRIT’
Son demands answers
THE family of a British mum who mysteriously drowned in Greece have vowed to keep fighting for the truth.
It has been 12 years since Jean Hanlon’s body washed up on a beach in Crete, but it still isn’t known how she died.
Loved ones are determined to find out what happened to the 53-year-old in her final hours in 2009.
Her son Matthew, inset behind Jean, said: “People have suggested to us many a time to move on.
“But our mum was our life. You can’t just turn it off. She’s not just a light switch you can flick.
“A lot of people just wanted us to leave it. You know, ‘She’s gone, let her rest.’
“But how can she rest until you’ve made sure you’ve got whoever did that to her? We’ll keep going.”
Jean, who moved from her home town Dumfries to Crete in 2003, was missing her eyes and hair when she was found.
The mum of three had injuries including a broken neck, shattered ribs and a punctured lung, suggesting she had been in a struggle. And there are claims she was with a mystery man hours before her death. Matthew said: “We have an anger and frustration with the system.
“And with the lack of communication between Greece and the UK, and the lack of support to help a British resident when someone dies abroad. “We had to investigate. We had to always think of questions, to write out conclusions or perhaps scenarios of what could have happened… to make the Greeks listen. “We’ve had to do so much to keep our mum’s case open. Because if it isn’t, she won’t get justice.” Police have reopened the case into Jean’s death but still failed to find answers. Matthew and his two brothers remain tormented by the mystery. He added: “I know something nasty happened that night and she didn’t end up in the water of her own accord. “And I don’t know of any motive or reason why someone would want to kill our mum.”
The case features on TV series Murder In Paradise tomorrow at 9pm on Crime + Investigation.