Former miner who killed terminally ill wife dies

57 minutes ago

Fiona TrottNorth of England correspondent

A man who killed his terminally ill wife in Cyprus has died.

David Hunter, 78, was accused of murdering his spouse Janice, 74, in December 2021, but was instead convicted of manslaughter and spent 19 months in prison.

The former miner, originally from Ashington, Northumberland, suffocated his wife and said she had begged him to end her life in their Paphos home as she suffered from blood cancer.

Hunter had recently been moved to a care home on the island and was facing an appeal hearing brought by the country's Attorney General, who argued the sentencing was insufficient.

His daughter Lesley Cawthorne told the BBC: "He was a good, kind man and the best dad, who is very much missed by his family and friends."

It is understood the former miner passed away in a Cypriot hospital earlier, after being treated for an infection.

Hunter previously said he would "never in a million years" have suffocated his wife of 52 years unless she had asked him to.

He told the court he eventually decided to grant her her wish after she became "hysterical".

When he was released, he thanked his colliery "family" for their support.

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