A British man charged with negligence over the death of his three-year-old son in Cyprus is seeking to have travel restrictions temporarily lifted so he can join his family in the UK for the boy’s funeral.
The 37-year-old man and his family were reportedly just a few days into a holiday in the Cypriot resort town of Paphos earlier this month when his three-year-old fell from a fourth-floor hotel window.
The circumstances of the fall remain unclear.
His lawyer, Alexandros Alexandrou, said he will file an application next week seeking to have the travel restriction temporarily lifted, with the boy’s funeral expected to be arranged after the court delivers its decision by August 7.
The defendant was arrested and charged, but a court later released him from custody on the condition that he surrender his passport, report to a police station weekly and pay a €20,000 (around £17,100) bond.
“Clearly this is tragic, it’s a case where anyone, whether they’re a parent or not, can understand the stress of having lost a child,” Alexandrou said.
“Right now the only issue before the court is for the petition on this humanitarian aspect of the case to be approved so that he can travel for his son’s funeral.”
The lawyer said his client’s wife and five-year-old son returned to the UK two days ago, while the man was joined in court by his parents.
If the application is approved, the case is expected to continue in mid-September after the court’s summer recess.
Alexandrou said his client was due to enter a plea on Friday but requested an adjournment to allow time to file the petition.
The lawyer took over the 37-year-old’s defence on Wednesday after his previous attorney withdrew from the case.
He said he needed more time to review the evidence, which has not yet been disclosed to him by prosecutors.
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