Thousands of pounds have been raised in support of a retired miner who has denied murdering his wife in Cyprus.
David Hunter, who is originally from Northumberland, faces trial after being accused of killing his wife Janice at their home in Paphos in December 2021.
Lawyers for the 74-year-old are appealing for the murder charge to be changed to assisting suicide, saying that Mrs Hunter was suffering from terminal blood cancer and had wanted to die.
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They say that Mr Hunter, who had been with his wife for 56 years, tried to take his own life after her death but survived and was charged with premeditated murder.
Mr Hunter pleaded not guilty on February 10 and is currently in custody in Nicosia Central Prison, Cyprus, awaiting trial in April.
Now, the couple's daughter, Lesley Cawthorne, has launched a Crowd Justice campaign to pay for Mr Hunter's legal costs.
The appeal has already raised £3,100 towards its goal of £6,000.
"My dad devoted himself to caring for my mum," daughter Lesley said.
"We love him very much and want to help him in any way possible.
"That's why we need help to pay for the legal representation which will give him the best chance possible of being allowed to return to the United Kingdom to the people who love him and who can support him through his grief.
"My father is in the latter stages of his life, and we just want him to be with us."
Mr Hunter and his wife were teenage sweethearts who moved to Cyprus when they retired.
The family says that over the last five years, Mrs Hunter became increasingly unwell following a diagnosis of terminal blood cancer.
They say she was in a great deal of pain and wanted to die to end her suffering.
Justice Abroad, which supports British citizens through a foreign justice system, is working with Cypriot lawyers, Nicoletta Charalambidou, an experienced human rights advocate, and Ritsa Pekri, a criminal law expert, on this case.
Justice Abroad barrister Michael Polak said: "We will be writing to the Cypriot Attorney General asking for him to consider an alternative charge of assisting suicide in this case.
"At a time when the Parliament of Cyprus is discussing the legalisation of euthanasia, and given the circumstances, in this case, we will be submitting that assisting suicide would be a much more appropriate charge than murder which carries a mandatory life sentence."
To donate to the fundraiser visit: https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/help-bring-david-home/
