Man denies murder of Scottish woman in Crete in 2009
A Greek man is being tried for the murder of Jean Hanlon, a 53-year-old Scottish woman, whose body was found in waters near Heraklion in Crete in 2009.
Man denies murder of Scottish woman in Crete in 2009
A Greek man has denied the murder of a Scottish woman on a Greek island 17 years ago, as his trial began in a court near Heraklion in Crete.
The body of Jean Hanlon, 53, was retrieved from the water near Heraklion on 13 March 2009, four days after her disappearance was reported. Initially, her death was classified as an accident, but her family from Dumfries in Scotland persistently sought a review of the case.
Hanlon's three sons gave evidence on Tuesday at the start of the trial in Nea Alikarnassos, approximately 49 kilometres from Heraklion. One of them alleged that his mother had been intimidated by the defendant after their relationship ended.
Under Greek law, the defendant's name cannot be published, as anonymity is maintained until conviction is confirmed. The court heard that the couple had been in a relationship, which Hanlon had ended amicably. Her son, Robert, testified that the defendant continued to harass his mother despite the relationship ending.
The sons also referred to a diary kept by their mother, in which the defendant's name was mentioned.
A forensic pathologist involved in the case following a re-examination in 2019 testified that Hanlon's death was likely caused by a partial rupture of the brainstem. The witness had not directly examined the victim, but stated that the fatal injury was caused by a forceful blow to the back of the neck with a blunt object. She added that the injuries were inconsistent with a fall.
The original autopsy had concluded drowning, but a fresh examination in 2019 revealed injuries consistent with a struggle. In 2020, an appeal on a Greek programme similar to Crimewatch yielded no new evidence. In 2021, specialist officers investigating organised crime reviewed the case without result, although they concluded it was "criminal activity".
The investigation was formally reopened in June 2024, after a private investigator hired by Hanlon's son submitted a 24-page report to the Greek authorities. The defendant was interviewed in January of the previous year and charged in November.
The trial is expected to last up to four days.
Source: BBC
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