30/08/2006

Hotel plunge man appears in court

A man who fell from a hotel balcony with his two children has appeared in a Greek court charged with the murder of his son.

John Hogan, 32, was also charged with the attempted murder of his daughter and attempted suicide.

Mr Hogan suffered a broken arm, leg and chest injuries in the fall from the balcony in a hotel in Crete on August 16, but his six-year-old son Liam died from a head injury sustained in the fall. Liam's two-year-old sister Mia also suffered a broken arm in the fall.

Mr Hogan has been under police guard in hospital in Crete. He will remain in custody under police guard while receiving treatment in hospital.

The Hogan family, from Bradley Stoke in Bristol, had been on a two-week holiday in Crete when the tragedy occurred.

Mr Hogan was reportedly taking anti-depressants but is believed to have stopped taking them prior to the fall because they were making him ill.

Mr Hogan's lawyer Dimitris Xyritakis said that he did not expect there to be any trial for at least eight to ten months.

Liam's funeral was held in Bristol on Tuesday. An inquest into his death was opened and adjourned last week, pending further inquiries by the Greek authorities.

(KMcA/EF)

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Father faces murder charge after balcony fall
A British man who fell from a hotel balcony in Greece with his two young children has been accused of murder after his six year old son Liam died. John Hogan, 32, from Bristol also faces an attempted murder charge as his two year old daughter Mia was injured in the fall.