The father accused of causing the death of his three-year-old son through a reckless, negligent or dangerous act has returned to the United Kingdom after the District Court of Paphos temporarily lifted his travel restrictions so he could attend the child’s funeral.
The court approved a request by defence lawyer Alexandros Alexandrou to suspend the restrictive measures imposed on the 37-year-old, allowing him to travel home for the funeral.
Defence lawyer confirms return
Speaking to Cyprus state radio on Friday morning, Alexandrou confirmed that his client had left the island after his travel documents were returned.
“My client was able to leave the country once his travel documents were returned. Today, I can confirm that he has returned to his homeland, the United Kingdom. I spoke with him last night. He has now reunited with his family, and they are preparing for the funeral of his young son,” the lawyer said.
He added that the decision reflected the humanitarian aspect of the case.
“Not everything is purely legal, and not everything is about the strict application of the law. There is also a humanitarian dimension in every case, which the court and the Office of the Attorney General rightly recognised. They applied that principle so my client could travel to the United Kingdom to attend his son’s funeral.”
Emotional state highlighted
The defence lawyer described the father as being in an extremely fragile emotional state following the fatal incident on 12 July, arguing that the court’s decision was necessary both for humanitarian reasons and to ensure the proper conduct of the legal proceedings.
“He is in a very poor emotional condition. He is not in a position to follow the legal proceedings with clarity. It was therefore prudent for both the Attorney General’s Office and the court to approve this request. On his return, he will be better able to understand the legal process, provide me with proper instructions and assist both the proceedings and himself.”
Lawyer describes case as most difficult
Alexandrou said the case had been among the most challenging of his legal career, not because of its legal complexity but because of the human tragedy involved.
He noted that the family had been visiting Cyprus every year for between 10 and 15 years and had developed a deep affection for the island before the incident that shocked the country.
Family expresses relief
In a statement, the family said it was relieved by the court’s decision, adding that it could now begin the “heartbreaking process” of arranging the funeral.
Following the hearing at the District Court of Paphos, the 37-year-old embraced his mother, who broke down in tears as they left the courtroom.
Before leaving, he also approached the prosecutor, Chryso Perganti, quietly thanked her for not objecting to his request to return temporarily to Britain, and expressed his gratitude.
In his first public remarks after the ruling, the father said:
“I am very grateful to the judge and the authorities for allowing me to return home to my wife and daughter. That is all I want to do at this moment.”
Also read: 37-year-old mother of three needs help in fight against rare cancer
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel
