A man has been found guilty of murdering his ex-girlfriend 17 years after her death.
Jean Hanlon was found dead in the sea off Heraklion, Crete, in March 2009. Although Greek authorities initially ruled her death an accident, her family refused to accept the conclusion and spent years fighting to uncover what really happened.
Years later, a 54-year-old man, who cannot be named under Greek law until the appeals process has concluded, was convicted of murder following a four-day trial. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison after the court recognised his diminished responsibility due to mental health conditions, but will remain free while his appeal is heard.
Prosecutors said the pair had been in a brief relationship at the start of 2009, but the defendant refused to accept Jean ending it, and instead began stalking her. They alleged he killed her on the night she disappeared, before placing her body in the sea. Although there was no physical evidence linking the pair that night, a panel of judges and members of the public found him guilty.
View 3 ImagesJean’s family pushed Greek authorities to reopen the investigation four times
Jean’s family spent 17 years campaigning tirelessly in a bid to uncover the truth behind her death. They fought to have the investigation reopened, for a second post-mortem and even hired a private investigator after insisting her death had never been an accident. The breakthrough in the case came when entries in Jean’s diary came to light, which led prosectors to suspect her former partner.
A later forensic review found Jean had suffered injuries consistent with a struggle, while the family’s investigator submitted a report naming a suspect that helped bring the case back before prosecutors.
The court heard evidence from Jean’s three sons, who travelled from Dumfries, Scotland, to Crete for the trial. Her eldest son, Robert Porter, told jurors his mother’s diary named the accused, and described what he called a “steady relationship”. He said Jean had ended it in a “polite way”, but the man continued to “bully her”.
View 3 ImagesJean’s diary became crucial for the family to get justice(Image: Daily Record)
Her middle son, Michael Porter, said the diary showed his mum had repeatedly tried to cut off contact, but the accused continued turning up at her home and workplace asking for money and following her.
The court heard the accused had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and was taking daily medication. Prosecutors argued he had stopped taking it during his relationship with Jean, while his sister said he became aggressive when unmedicated. Forensic pathologist Krantoni also told the court she believed Jean had been placed into the sea rather than thrown, and would have still been alive when she entered the water.
Following the verdict, Michael told BBC Scotland News: “It’s really hard to put into words and it still hasn’t really quite sunk in.
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“Seventeen years has been such a long time but it feels like yesterday. For the first time in a very, very long time in a room full of strangers, mum’s voice was heard and that is remarkable for us as individuals, as a family and for mum.”
He said his mother could “finally be free”, but admitted it was painful knowing the man convicted of her murder would remain out of prison while his appeal is heard.