Luke Walker murder trial starts in Crete
The long-awaited trial began in Crete today of Brierley Hill murder suspect Luke Walker – who is hoping to prove that he did not kill his girlfriend on the Greek holiday isle.
The prosecution, which claims Luke, now aged 25, battered 20-year-old Chelsea Hyndman to death three years ago on May 17, was due to begin outlining its case today.
But Luke, who denies murder, says the stomach injury which led to her death was caused when she fell during a night out clubbing 10 days earlier.
Defence attorney Georgios Pyramallis is expected to call 17 witnesses for Luke, 11 of which have been flown out from the UK.
They will say they saw Chelsea fall, landing with her hand underneath her stomach, during the night out – and a doctor giving evidence for the defence is expected to say that is consistent with the ruptured pancreas, which led to blood poisoning and caused her death.
Luke's fate now rests in the hands of four Greek jurors and three judges, sitting in Heraklion – and if convicted of murder he could receive a life sentence.
Before leaving his home in Brierley Hill, Luke said: "I'm really scared but I know I'm innocent."
Luke, his father, Patrick, mother Lindy and 31-year-old brother Ryan, all flew out to Crete on Friday.
