Hotel Plunge Man Cleared Of Son's Murder

A British man who leapt from a hotel balcony in Crete has been cleared of his son's murder.

A Greek court ruled that John Hogan, 33, was "incapable" of murder or manslaughter because of his mental state.

Both prosecution and defence lawyers had said that Mr Hogan should be sent to a psychiatric unit for treatment.

He will be placed in a psychiatric unit for a minimum of three years.

President Paraskeri Kiraleou, the senior judge at the trial, said: "His responsibility was diminished.

"He was incapable of murdering his son and he needs to be in a psychiatric unit for therapy."

Mr Hogan had denied murdering his six-year-old son Liam as well as the attempted murder of his two-year-old daughter Mia, who only sustained a broken arm in the fall. However, Liam suffered massive head injuries and died.

Mr Hogan had been held in jail in Athens for 16 months. He has made several suicide attempts since his arrest and has been treated for clinical depression.

The court in Crete had heard how Mr Hogan had gone on holiday with his children and wife Natasha, 35, in an attempt to resolve problems within the couple's marriage, but they had argued during the holiday.

(KMcA)