The Black Widow hits back
Internet bride wins bid to quash ruling that put her in frame for husband’s death
THE internet bride linked to the horrific murder of a wealthy British businessman in the Ukraine has won a rare legal bid to overturn the findings of an inquest which implicated her in his death.
A new inquest is to be held into the hit and run killing of Barry Pring after his widow, former stripper Ganna Ziuzina, protested about how the first one was handled.
She complained that she was not given an opportunity to testify at the hearing and about how a key witness was allowed to give ‘hearsay evidence’.
The so-called ‘Black Widow’ added that other ‘new evidence’ relating to her husband’s murder should be considered. Devon coroner Dr Elizabeth Earland has agreed it is ‘in the interests of justice’ that the findings of the inquest in Exeter are quashed.
She told Mr Pring’s brother Shaughan in a letter: ‘I understand this must be distressing news for you but I must take this course to ensure justice has been fairly administered.’
The dramatic twist comes after Miss Ziuzina, 38, now in a relationship with another rich British businessman, instructed lawyers to seek a judicial review of January’s inquest.
Her move came after Dr Earland ruled Mr Pring was unlawfully killed after being ‘tricked’ into waiting in a road for a taxi on the outskirts of Kiev.
The inquest heard that within days Miss Ziuzina – who had been by her husband’s side moments before he was run over – flew to the UK and tried to move into his London flat and claim his assets.
Dr Earland’s verdict was greeted with relief by Mr Pring’s family, who spent more than £100,000 trying to find out what happened. Last night they reacted furiously after learning it is to be quashed and a fresh hearing overseen by a different coroner set to take place.
They accused Miss Ziuzina, who has changed her name to Julianna Moore, of snubbing January’s inquest and making a mockery of the legal system by challenging its findings.
Shaughan Pring, 54, said: ‘It is extremely disappointing that there is going to be a new inquest. We have been let down by the authorities yet again. For nine years we have campaigned for justice for Barry and this is another kick in the teeth.’
Police have previously said they made ‘strenuous’ efforts to locate Miss Ziuzina before the inquest in January in a bid to make her give evidence. According to legal papers seen by the Daily Mail, she only became aware of the hearing about five days before it took place.
Last month the Mail revealed how Miss Ziuzina had been awarded £21,000 in legal aid in her battle to receive a major share of IT consultant Mr Pring’s £1.5million estate – and that the Legal Aid Agency was considering court action to force her to pay the cash back.
Details of the payout emerged a few weeks after an inquest heard the ‘cold’ Ukrainian internet bride murdered Mr Pring for his money in 2008.
The coroner was told Miss Ziuzina led her husband to the edge of a dual carriageway on the outskirts of Kiev after their first wedding anniversary dinner to hail a taxi. She then went back inside the restaurant to collect a pair of gloves.
Moments later Mr Pring, from Battersea, south-west London, was killed instantly by a speeding vehicle with no headlights on and stolen number plates.
Devon-born Mr Pring, 47, is said to have been besotted with Miss Ziuzina, then 29, despite his friends’ fears that she was a ‘gold-digger’.
His death was treated by Ukrainian police as a traffic accident then upgraded to a murder inquiry after the case and its bungled investigation were exposed by the Mail in 2011.
The Ukrainian investigation has been dogged by allegations of corruption, incompetence and a cover-up. UK detectives cannot go to Ukraine to investigate without the agreement of their counterparts there.
Legal sources believe several people, including a relative and close friend of the ‘Black Widow’, may have been involved in the murder plot and cover up.
Miss Ziuzina has denied any involvement in Mr Pring’s death. She did not give evidence at the inquest and has not commented publicly since.
‘Another kick in the teeth’