A man has refuted accusations of killing a Scottish mother on a Greek island nearly two decades after her demise.
Jean Hanlon was discovered dead in the waters off Heraklion, Crete, in 2009. Initially deemed accidental, her family persisted in seeking a fresh investigation, urging for a second post-mortem and enlisting a private investigator to uncover the truth.
The breakthrough occurred when entries from Jean’s personal diary surfaced, leading prosecutors to suspect her former 55-year-old partner of her murder. Following questioning in January last year, the accused was charged a second time in November.
The much-awaited trial commenced today at Lassithi Criminal Court in Crete. The defendant proclaimed innocence, stating, “I have done nothing. It is unjust to face life imprisonment for a crime I did not commit.”
According to Greek newspaper OEMA, the accused, Jean’s Greek ex-partner, remains unnamed under local laws that shield defendants until conviction.
During the trial’s opening, Jean’s three sons provided testimony, with one alleging that their mother had been subjected to harassment by the accused post their separation. The court was informed about Jean’s diary, which identified the accused.
A forensic pathologist, engaged in the case review in 2019, informed the court that Jean likely suffered a fatal injury from a forceful blow to the back of her neck with a blunt object, resulting in an incomplete tear of the brain stem, although she had not physically examined the body.
Jean, a former hospital secretary residing in Kato Gouves near Heraklion, vanished during a night out in March 2009 after mentioning meeting a man at a café to friends. She later sent a distressing text message saying, “Help,” before being found deceased in the sea four days later.
While the initial post-mortem indicated drowning as the cause of death, a subsequent review in 2019 suggested she likely died before entering the water, revealing a broken neck, ribs, punctured lung, and facial injuries.
Her family relentlessly campaigned to uncover the truth, prompting Greek authorities to reopen the investigation on multiple occasions. Despite efforts including a televised appeal similar to Crimewatch in 2020, no new information emerged until 2024 when a private investigator submitted a detailed report, prompting the case’s official reopening.
The defendant initially faced charges in January last year, leading to a case collapse, which was later overturned by appeal judges in Heraklion in August. Subsequently, the accused was recharged in November and ordered to stand trial for murder.
Jean’s son, Michael Porter, expressed relief at the prospect of justice for his mother after years of uncertainty. The ongoing trial, located about 30 miles from where Jean’s body was discovered, is anticipated to span up to four days.