A British man has been fined €3,000 (£2,500) after pleading guilty to causing the death of his two-year-old son, who fell from a fourth-floor window at a hotel in Cyprus. Joshua Foster, 37, appeared before the Paphos District Court for sentencing on Thursday. Foster, a senior accountant at KPMG, had previously admitted to causing death through a reckless or dangerous act.

The tragic incident occurred on July 12 at the King Evelthon Beach Hotel and Resort in Chlorakas, where the toddler fell nearly 40 feet from the window. Prosecutors stated that the boy was declared dead at the hospital several hours later, having sustained multiple skull and bone fractures as well as damage to vital organs.

During the hearing, district judge Froso Christodoulidou read out the sentence as Foster, wearing a light blue shirt, struggled to hold back tears. After the 25-minute proceeding, Foster embraced his lawyer and family members in the courtroom. His defense attorney, Alexandros Alexandrou, told the judge that Foster believed the window was closed when he placed the child on the sill to show him the view and “lost control” of him. Alexandrou added that the incident would be a permanent source of anguish for his client and his family.

The court heard that Foster, his wife, two children, and in-laws had arrived in Cyprus on the same day as the accident. After spending the day on various activities, the family was preparing to go out for dinner. Around 6 p.m., Foster, the boy, and his father-in-law left their rooms and headed to the elevator. The toddler noticed a waterpark outside, prompting Foster to place him on the windowsill to look out, moments before the fall occurred.

Following the accident, Foster was taken to Paphos General Hospital, where a blood test was administered. Tests indicated an estimated alcohol concentration of 124 mg six hours prior to the incident. However, the defense stated that alcohol consumption was not a significant factor in the case, and there was no evidence that Foster was intoxicated at the time.

The defense also highlighted that Foster had no previous criminal record and expressed deep remorse for the incident. Foster was held in custody for eight days following the tragedy. His lawyer noted the emotional toll the case has taken, describing how Foster had to explain the situation to his daughter while still in custody.