British expat arrives at Cyprus court where he will learn today if he is convicted of murdering his terminally-ill wife – as it is revealed he can’t afford to appeal a guilty verdict

The British expatriate accused of murdering his terminally ill wife has arrived today at a court in Cyprus where he will hear whether he will languish in prison for the rest of his life.

David Hunter, 75, has spent 19 months in a Cypriot prison and a judge will decide today whether to sentence the pensioner for ending the suffering of his childhood sweetheart Janice, 74.

But Mr. Hunter has been left so ‘penniless’ that he cannot appeal a conviction if convicted, it has been revealed.

The skyrocketing cost of his agonizing 19-month trial has drained all of his life savings — and means he has no means to fight if the judge decides against him.

It has also left him unable to afford to call friends in prison and survive on meager rations that are offered to him for free.

“It just breaks my heart,” said his daughter, Lesley Cawthorne, 50. “When my mother was alive, he had a house, a car and money in the bank. Now he has a carrying bag with his clothes, that’s all he has.’

David Hunter, 75, originally from Northumberland, was charged with the murder of his wife of 46 years, Janice, at their home in Paphos, in December 2021

A prison van carrying David Hunter arrives at Paphos District Court in Cyprus, where he is charged with the first degree murder of his terminally ill wife Janice Hunter

Mr Hunter faces a mandatory life sentence if found guilty of first degree murder and has 10 days to appeal.

But a crowdfunder for his defense has run out and he’s accumulated thousands of pounds in debt to fight the case so far.

Mrs. Cawthorne said, ‘I don’t know what we’re going to do. He said he wanted to appeal, he said, “We have to, I can’t spend the rest of my life here.”

“I honestly don’t know what we’re going to do. I don’t know where to get the money from. It will be thousands.’

Mr Hunter had befriended British cellmate Owen Williams, 27. But after Mr Williams was released three months ago, he has been locked up with 11 other hardened criminals who don’t speak a word of English.

His only chance to speak is through his phone, but he can now only afford to call his daughter occasionally.

She said, ‘He has no one to talk to. He couldn’t call people.

‘He can’t call, he has to pay himself. He hasn’t been able to speak to his brother in a while, or his friends Barry and Kevin. He just speaks to me.

“It’s absolutely devastating.”

David Hunt has arrived today at a court in Cyprus where he will learn whether he has been convicted of the murder of his terminally ill wife Janice

David Hunter will be escorted to court in Paphos by police officers on Friday

Mr Hunter’s daughter Lesley Cawthorne, 50, says it ‘breaks her heart’ that her father was left ‘penniless’ by the process

David Hunter and his wife Janice on their wedding day

Mr Hunter wants to pay his last respects to his wife when he is released today.

The retired Northumberland miner was forced to treat her at home for terminal blood cancer with injections due to Covid restrictions as she deteriorated before his very eyes.

In her final days, she cried out in pain 24 hours a day, unable to get off their couch or take painkillers as she begged him to kill her.

He eventually relented and took her own life on December 18, 2021. He tried to overdose on drugs, but the authorities arrived, pumped his stomach and charged him with first-degree murder.

Mrs. Cawthorne said, ‘He wants to see my mother. He wants to sit down and talk to her. He needs that for his mental health.

“I think if he was offered to be released but couldn’t visit her and had to go straight back, he’d refuse. He just wants to visit my mother.’