Husband of Brit mum killed in Greece is charged with murder after ‘confession’ – World News

The husband of a British woman killed in Greece has been charged with intentional homicide after he allegedly gave a confession to detectives.

Charalambos (Babis) Anagnostopoulos is said to have told police that he smothered his wife, Caroline Crouch, with a pillow in front of their 11-month-old daughter following an argument.

The 33-year-old helicopter pilot is also accused of strangling the family’s pet dog and hanging it from a banister.

Anagnostopoulos is being prosecuted on charges of intentional homicide committed in a calm mental state, animal abuse, making false statements to police and falsely accusing other people.

Detectives reportedly suspect the murder was pre-meditated because a memory card was removed from a security camera inside the living room before Ms Crouch, 20, was killed.

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Anagnostopoulos’ lawyer, Vassilis Spyrou, told Greek media on Friday that his client told him following the alleged confession: “I am sorry. I want to be punished for what I did.”

Mr Spyrou said: “He told me he wanted to be punished for what he did. He is not in a good psychological state.

“I confirm that he is remorseful and that he wants to pay.”

Mr Spyrou suggested his client felt relieved following the interrogation.

It came as a friend of Ms Crouch claimed to Greek news site Ethnos that Anagnostopoulos was jealous and controlling, and Ms Crouch was not happy in the relationship.

It is alleged that Ms Crouch had had enough and was preparing to end her marriage before she was killed in a crime that shocked Greece.

The friend said: “This was not a happy couple, but a troubled relationship. He was jealous of her and would let her do almost nothing.

“She could not have the time she wanted with her friends and she was constantly expressing her complaints about his behaviour.”

Anagnostopoulos initially claimed to police that Ms Crouch was strangled when armed burglars broke into their home in Glyka Nera, near Athens, and demanded cash and jewellery.

He had told police that he temporarily lost consciousness after he and his wife were tied up and gagged in separate rooms on the morning of May 11.

Anagnostopoulos claimed home invaders had threatened his daughter with a gun and killed their dog before fleeing with about £10,000 worth of euros hidden inside a Monopoly box.

He told police he managed to loosen his bonds and call for help using his mobile phone despite being blindfolded.

The first police officer on scene had previously told how he walked in to find the baby trying to wake up Ms Crouch, whose body had been tied to a bed.

The husband’s initial statements to detectives led to the arrest of a man, who police now say was falsely accused.

Police claim the story about the burglars was fabricated, and Anagnostopoulos killed Ms Crouch after she told him to leave the house following an argument.

Police allege Anagnostopoulos confessed to smothering her, killing the dog and staging a robbery scene in a bid to cover up his involvement.

According to Greek media, Anagnostopoulos allegedly told police: “I killed her. I will tell you everything.”

He added: “That night we were fighting early. At one point she threw the child in the crib and told me to leave the house.

“She pushed me and punched me. I lost my temper, I suffocated her with the pillow. Τhen I made up the robbery.”

Detectives said his claims of a robbery fell apart thanks to Ms Crouch’s fitness tracker, data from Anagnostopoulos’ mobile phone, and CCTV from the home in the upscale neighbourhood, Greek media reported.

A fitness tracker on Ms Crouch’s wrist showed intense heart activity just after 4am and her heart stopping at about 4.11am, about an hour before burglars were alleged to have stormed into the home, it was reported.

It is alleged that data from his phone showed him moving from the attic to the basement of the home, and back again, despite him claiming he had been tied up in a room.

The memory card from a security camera inside the living room had been removed at 1.20am. Police claim it was removed by the husband and flushed down the toilet.

Footage taken at 12.35am allegedly shows the Anagnostopoulos cradling his daughter on a sofa as he and Ms Crouch, who was upstairs, argued over text, Protothema reported.

They continued to text each other for about two hours and 40 minutes. Ms Crouch is thought to have been killed at about 4am, based on the data from her fitness tracker, said police.

Anagnostopoulos had told officers the break-in happened at about 6am while the family were sleeping.

The day before his alleged confession, Greek TV captured video showing him hugging Ms Crouch’s devastated mother, at a memorial service for the Brit on the island of Alonnisos, where she grew up.

Detectives took him to a police station in Athens for questioning, allegedly telling him they wanted to discuss with him a breakthrough and new suspect in the case.

However, police suspected Ms Crouch was killed by her husband and were seeking to extract a confession from him, Greek media reported.

Two days after the death in May, Anagnostopoulos told the Mirror he was in “no condition” to speak at length about his wife, adding: “She was an amazing person, full of life and full of love. Our lives will never be the same without her.

“Take care of your family, sir. Cherish your loved ones as much as you can.”

It came as he prepared to bury Ms Crouch on the island of Alonnisos, where she raised by her British father, David Crouch, and Filipina mother, Susan Dela Cuesta.

At the funeral, Anagnostopoulos held his daughter in his arms and wiped away tears as he eulogised his wife.

He told mourners: “Our loved ones are the most important people to us all. You should always look after your loved ones and enjoy your time together.”

In the days following Ms Crouch’s death, Anagnostopoulos made a number of statements to local media, telling reporters he had “begged” intruders not to harm his family.

He said the day after his wife was found dead: “I wish no-one ever goes through what we went through last night. It was a nightmare.

“We begged the thieves not to harm us. We told them where the money was and asked them to leave us alone. The police will catch them.”

A £260,000 reward for information was announced by the Greek Government.