Hotel plunge father 'home soon'

John Hogan was said to be showing encouraging signs of recovery

A man who killed his son in a plunge from a hotel balcony in Greece could return to the UK within months.

John Hogan, 33, from Bristol, has been receiving treatment at a psychiatric hospital in Athens since a court on the island of Crete cleared him of murder.

The hospital said he was showing "signs of recovery" and could return to Britain for further treatment soon.

Mr Hogan hurled six-year-old Liam from the fourth floor, then jumped with his young daughter Mia, who survived.

The Greek court heard in January that the family, from Bradley Stoke, had gone on holiday to the Petra Mare hotel in Ierapetra in an effort to resolve marriage difficulties.

'In good health'

On the night of Liam's death, the couple had argued.

The court ruled that Mr Hogan had been "incapable" of murdering his son because of his mental state.

After the verdict, his former wife Natasha said what her husband had done was "unforgivable" and that Liam had "lost his young life for nothing".

John Hogan was on holiday with his wife and children

In a statement released by the hospital on Sunday, managing director Athanasios Kosmopoulos, said: "A request has been made by Mr Hogan's family to the appropriate authorities, so that all concerned may examine the possibility of his return to England in the near future for further treatment.

"Depending on the advice provided by the medical and legal authorities, it is our belief that this process could be finalised within a time framework of between three and six months.

"Mr Hogan is indeed showing encouraging signs of recovery and of adaptation to the outside world.

"He is in good health, is communicative with the staff and with other patients and often goes for walks in the gardens and woods of the estate within which our hospital is located".