British man returns to Cyprus to face trial over son's death

A 37-year-old British banking executive has returned to Cyprus after being granted temporary leave to attend his son's funeral in the UK. The man faces charges of causing the death of his three-year-old son through a reckless or dangerous act after the child fell from a fourth-floor hotel window in Paphos on July 12. The father is alleged to have placed the child on a window ledge while waiting for a lift, mistakenly believing the window was closed. The boy fell approximately 10 meters, resulting in his death.

The defendant, who previously remained in custody for eight days, has now surrendered his travel documents to Cypriot authorities following the expiration of his humanitarian travel exemption. His lawyer, Alexandros Alexandrou, has requested that the Attorney-general suspend the criminal proceedings. The case is scheduled for a court appearance on September 17. If the prosecution request is not granted by then, the father will be required to enter a plea. A guilty plea could lead to a faster sentencing process, while a not-guilty plea would result in a scheduled trial. The man's bail conditions included a cash guarantee of £25,750, with an additional €10,000 deposited to facilitate his temporary travel.