A British man has been convicted of manslaughter in Cyprus for the death of his terminally ill wife. A three-judge panel determined that 76-year-old David Hunter acted in the spur of the moment when he suffocated his 74-year-old wife, Janice, in December 2021. The court concluded that while he ended her life, the prosecution failed to prove premeditation, thus ruling out a murder conviction.

Testimony revealed that Janice, suffering from myelodysplastic syndrome, a type of blood cancer, feared developing leukemia like her sister. She repeatedly pleaded with her husband to help her die, a request the court acknowledged. Expert testimony confirmed the potential for her condition to progress to leukemia, and the court accepted that both husband and wife believed this would happen.

The court highlighted David Hunter's deep love and care for his wife, emphasizing that his actions stemmed solely from a desire to alleviate her suffering. While he had previously assured her he would help end her life, the judges didn't interpret these assurances as evidence of premeditation. After suffocating his wife, Hunter attempted suicide by overdosing on pills but was saved by medical professionals.

Following the verdict, the court scheduled a mitigation hearing for July 27th before sentencing. This decision spares Hunter a potential life sentence, the maximum penalty for premeditated murder. Legal representatives for Hunter expressed hope for a suspended sentence, considering the time he has already served in custody since his wife's death.

Cypriot authorities have expressed concern about setting a legal precedent that could allow husbands to kill their wives and claim consent after the fact without sufficient evidence. The state prosecutor indicated that the Attorney General would review the verdict and consider an appeal, particularly focusing on the evidence supporting the couple's alleged agreement for David Hunter to end his wife's life.