British expat David Hunter dies in Cyprus after killing his terminally ill wife nearly five years ago

British expat David Hunter dies in Cyprus after killing his terminally ill wife nearly five years ago EXCLUSIVE: David Hunter, 78, was found guilty of manslaughter in 2023 after he suffocated wife Janice, 74, at their home - he died in hospital today A British expat in Cyprus who killed his terminally ill wife has today died in hospital, his family has said. David Hunter, 78, was found guilty of manslaughter in 2023 after he suffocated wife Janice, 74, at their home in Tremithousa, near Paphos, in December 2021. She had been suffering terminal blood cancer and had ‘begged him for weeks’ to end her life, Hunter’s trial heard. His heartbroken daughter Lesley Cawthorne, 53, today confirmed her father had died in a Cypriot hospital. Hunter, a former coal miner from Ashington, Northumberland, had been suffering increasingly poor health since being released from prison three years ago. He is understood to have been admitted to hospital this week because of a urinary tract infection, but today died suddenly, Lesley said. After Janice’s death he was jailed for two years, but with time served, was released in the summer of 2023. He remained living on the island to be close to his late wife’s grave near Tremithousa. They had been married for 52 years and retired to Cyprus in 2002. Lesley, from Norwich, said today: "We are devastated and the support over the last few years has meant the world to us." Cyprus’ attorney general appealed both the manslaughter verdict and the sentencing handed down to Hunter, and further court hearings were due. His trial in Paphos heard that after suffocating Janice, Hunter had tried to take his own life but was found by police officers who were alerted by Interpol after he had contacted family to tell them what had happened. The case made headlines around the world as debates broke out over the mercy killing.