David Hunter facing prison return as Cyprus government appeals sentence

The sentence of former Ashington miner David Hunter has been appealed, meaning the 76-year-old’s freedom in Cyprus has been put on hold.

The Attorney General’s office has appealed both his two year sentence and acquittal for murder after he was freed last week after serving 19 months in prison. The appeal was lodged on the final of 10 days in which his manslaughter conviction could be appealed.

David was found not guilty of premeditated murder last month, with ‘no evidence’ suggesting he had pre-planned the killing of his wife, Janice, 74. He always denied this but was subsequently found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to two years in prison. He had suffocated Janice in December 2021 to end her suffering from terminal blood cancer.

Read more: Northumberland man released from custody in Cyprus despite being given jail term for manslaughter of ill wife

The Mirror Online reports that David was freed last Monday and was starting a new life for himself in the village of Tremithousa, near Paphos. But an appeal has now been lodged.

Michael Polak from Justice Abroad, which represents David, said: “We are obviously very disappointed with the Attorney General’s decision to appeal today which gets in the way of David getting on with his life. He has spent 19 months in prison and faced legal proceedings over that period that would be difficult for anyone, but especially for someone of his age.

“This is a very sad matter; however it is difficult to see how the continued pursuit of David assists anyone. We will continue to fight for David before the Appeal Court of Cyprus as we have done throughout the lengthy mission to free David. David would like to thank everyone from Cyprus, the United Kingdom, and around the world who have shown such strong support during his trial and since his release.”

Following his release, David, from Ashington, spoke of the harrowing moment he suffocated his wife to end her pain, before attempting to take his own life with an overdose. He has revealed the final four words his wife said to her before she lay to rest. David told Janice he loved her just before covering her mouth and nose, as they both sobbed. He recalled: “She just closed her eyes and said ‘give us a kiss’, and I kissed her on the cheek.

Earlier this year in a Cypriot court, David detailed how he eventually assisted his wife in suicide, through a translator. He said: “For five or six weeks before she died she was asking me to help her, she was asking me more every day. She said, ‘I can’t go on, this isn’t the life for me. We just go to the hospital and stay at home’. She started becoming hysterical, so I told her, ‘Yes, I’m going to help you. I won’t tell you how and when.”