David Hunter has been sentenced to two years for the manslaughter of his wife Janice, 74. Hunter killed his wife, after she “begged” him to end her life at their home near Paphos in December 2021.
But the 76-year-old, originally from Ashington, Northumberland, will be released shortly with the time he has spent in custody taken into account.
The ex-miner was cleared of her murder.
Michael Polak, the director of Justice Abroad, which is representing Hunter, said he would be released on 18 August at the latest. However, he could yet be let out earlier for good behaviour.
Hunter told the court his wife “cried and begged” him to end her life as she suffered from blood cancer.
His legal team had argued he should be given a suspended sentence, in a case which was a legal first in the country.
In mitigation last week, his defense lawyer Ritsa Pekri said his motive was to “liberate his wife from all that she was going through due to her health conditions”.
The court heard it was Mrs Hunter’s “wish” to die. Her husband on the other hand, “had only feelings of love for her”.
Hunter said he would “never in a million years” have suffocated his wife unless she had asked him to.
He showed the court how he held his hands over his wife’s mouth and nose. Hunter explained that he eventually decided to grant her her wish after she became “hysterical”.
Selfish motives or True love?
The court heard he then tried to kill himself by taking an overdose. However, paramedics arrived in time to save him.
State prosecutor Andreas Hadjikyrou told the BBC Hunter killed his wife for “selfish motives”. He explained that “It’s himself he was taking care of.”
He told the court Janice died from asphyxiation. Hadjikyrou told the three judges it was a “horrible death” and her end was “not painless or peaceful”.
Hunter’s lawyers however said there was no evidence the couple did not love each other. They argued that there was no evidence that the defendant was fed up with caring for his wife.
The Hunters’ daughter Lesley said she respected the culture and laws of Cyprus. She further said that she was “truly grateful” to the country for giving her parents a “wonderful retirement”.
But, she said, her dad needed to be shown some “compassion” and be able to spend his final years with his family rather than alone in a Cypriot prison.
“He is a good, good man and isn’t a risk to anyone,” she said.
