GREECE: A British businessman who jumped from a hotel balcony in Crete with his two young children, killing his son, had been seeking "quality time on holiday away from the strains of everyday life", his family said yesterday.
John Hogan (32), is expected to be charged with the murder of his six-year-old son Liam and the attempted murder of his two-year-old daughter, Mia, after a row with his wife, Natasha, on their beachfront holiday break at Lerapetra on the island's south coast.
An investigating magistrate in Crete's capital, Heraklion, is waiting to interview Mr Hogan when he recovers in hospital from surgery on fractures to a femur and arm. He will be on intensive painkillers for at least five more days.
Greek police believe that Mr Hogan, who runs a tiling business from the family's home near Bristol, in the west of England, went on a drinking binge after the row. Other guests at the four-star Petra Mare hotel said that shouting and crying had been heard earlier in the family's room.
Natasha Hogan, who is a hospital deputy sister in south Wales, is understood to have gone outside to allow things to cool, but police believe her husband drank more and then took the sleeping children on to the balcony and jumped.
All three fell four floors and Liam was killed by multiple fractures. Mia escaped with a broken arm and flew home with her mother yesterday.
The family's statement said all four had been "looking forward to this holiday as an opportunity to enjoy quality time together in an environment away from the general strains of daily life". Issued by Ms Hogan through Bristol's Avon and Somerset police, it said that both sides of the family were continuing to be supportive.
"This is clearly a developing situation which is expected to become clearer over the coming days," it said. "We have not had the opportunity to discuss in detail with John exactly what happened." Ms Hogan gave testimony to investigators before leaving Crete, but her husband is unlikely to be interviewed until he is fit to leave hospital.
Local newspapers quoted nursing staff as saying he had told them that he was so full of remorse that he wanted to be allowed to die.
Heraklion's public prosecutor, Dimitrios Vardthopoulos, said that an arrest warrant had been issued but a testimony hearing was unlikely for at least 10 days. A medical spokesman said Mr Hogan was suffering acute pain after six hours of surgery but his injuries were not life-threatening.
"The patient is getting better and is now breathing with a face mask and is awake and fully aware," he said.
Mia had been discharged with her broken arm in a cast.