The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Wife ‘begged’ husband to end her life
ABritish expat broke down in a Cypriot court as he recalled the moment he took his terminally-ill wife’s life.
David Hunter wiped tears from his eyes as he told the district court in Paphos he would “never in a million years” have taken Janice Hunter’s life unless she had asked him to.
He added: “She wasn’t just my wife, she was my best friend.”
The 75-year-old retired miner, who denies murder, said his wife of 52 years had “cried and begged” him to end her life in December 2021 as she suffered with blood cancer, and that after she died it was the “first time I cried after many years”.
Hunter demonstrated to the court how he held his hands over Janice’s mouth and nose during the incident at the couple’s retirement home.
After the hearing, the defendant told reporters his time in a Cyprus prison was “nothing” compared to the last six months of Janice’s life.
He added: “I got my say,
this is what I wanted. To tell them things that they never even thought about.”
Under cross-examination from Andreas Hadjikyrou, the defendant vehemently denied he had premeditated killing his wife.
“It was her decision that she wanted to die – not mine, hers,” Hunter said.
“It was her decision, she didn’t want any more treatment. I can’t tell her, she’s got her own mind and she asked me.
“I would never in a million years take my wife’s life if she hadn’t asked me to.
“She wasn’t just my wife, she was my best friend.
“You haven’t seen the strain of the last six years, what she’s gone through.”
In court, Mr Hadjikyrou said to the defendant: “I put it to you that you had decided to kill her and there was no common consent and that you had to decide what day to kill her on.”
Hunter replied: “No. I never intended to kill her.
“I had hoped for eight or nine days that she would get better, that she would change her mind.
“She was lying down. She was in pain, suffering.
“I would do anything to help her.
“The last thing on my mind was to take her life. The last thing. That’s his (the prosecutor’s) idea, not mine.”
The trial, adjourned until next Tuesday, continues.