The family of a British father charged in connection with the death of his two-year-old son in Cyprus is seeking assistance from the UK government to enable him to attend his son’s funeral. The 37-year-old banking executive, who was arrested after the boy fell from a fourth-floor hotel window, has been charged with causing death by a rash, reckless, or dangerous act. He currently remains in Cyprus on bail but is prohibited from leaving the country ahead of his trial scheduled for July 31.
The incident occurred on July 12 at the King Evelthon Beach Hotel and Resort in Chlorakas, near Paphos, where the family had just begun their holiday. According to police, the boy fell approximately 30 feet while playing with his father in a corridor near their room as they waited for a lift to take them to dinner. Officers believe the boy slipped from his father’s grip and fell through an open sliding window. The child was pronounced dead on arrival at Paphos General Hospital.
The father was arrested approximately three hours after the incident and subsequently spent eight days in police custody before being released on bail under strict conditions, including surrendering his passport and a weekly reporting requirement to local police. The Cypriot attorney general, George Savvides, authorised the prosecution, and the man is expected to appear in court again at the end of July. Evidence presented includes toxicology results showing a trace amount of alcohol in the father's blood, reportedly equivalent to one or two drinks.
Family sources have expressed their distress at the father’s ongoing detention in Cyprus while mourning the loss of their son. A legal representative for the father highlighted concerns about the psychological toll on him and his family, noting that the man’s applications for early release on bail were initially refused. The father had to inform his five-year-old daughter about her brother’s death remotely via video call before he was allowed to rejoin his grieving wife and daughter. Friends have described the boy as “truly special” and “easy-going,” known for bringing joy to those around him.
The family, who live in Essex, are now hoping the British government, through Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, will engage with Cypriot authorities to allow the father to return to the UK to attend the funeral after the conclusion of court proceedings. While recognising that the UK cannot interfere with Cyprus’s judicial process, they are calling for humanitarian consideration given the exceptional circumstances.
The case remains under investigation, with no CCTV footage from the corridor where the incident occurred. Questions have also been raised regarding hotel safety standards, as the resort had been the site of a previous fatality involving a British tourist in 2022. The window involved in the accident was reportedly closed during a recent visit, and the width of the ledge next to the window has been noted as sufficient for a toddler to sit.
The family faces the ongoing challenge of repatriating the child’s body to the UK without the father’s presence, as he remains subject to travel restrictions pending his trial. The father’s legal situation and the tragic circumstances continue to cause profound strain on all involved.