A man who killed his terminally ill wife in Cyprus has had his verdict appealed after walking free in July. 

David Hunter, a 76-year-old British expat and retired miner, killed his wife Janice by asphyxiation at their home near the coastal resort town of Paphos in December 2021 after a long struggle with blood cancer.

Lesley Cawthorne, from Norwich, supported her father over what he claims was assisted suicide, saying her mother was in "terrible pain and suffering".

Charged with manslaughter, he served 19 months in jail but was cleared of premeditated murder having acted spontaneously "out of love" for his wife of 52 years.

In July, Hunter was sentenced to two years in jail but was released within 15 minutes due to time already served and good behaviour.

But now, a prosecution appeal case has begun in Cyprus against the verdict.

Michael Polak, director of Justice Abroad, which is representing Mr Hunter, said the court ordered that the prosecution file its arguments within two months and the defence respond within two months of that.

At that point, the date will be set for the appeal hearing which is likely to take place in April or May next year.

Mr Polak said: "After spending more than 19 months on trial and in custody in Nicosia prison, we thought that the legal proceedings were over for him.

"For anyone, but especially someone of David's age, it is obviously very stressful to have the possibility of being sent back to prison for life hanging over their head."