Balcony Fall Father Attempts Suicide

A British father who is accused of killing his six-year-old son in a fall from a hotel balcony has made an unsuccessful attempt to kill himself in prison, his lawyer said today.

John Hogan, 32, is accused of killing his son, Liam, when they plunged 15 metres from the fourth floor during a family holiday on Crete.

The boy and his sister, Mia, two, were allegedly being held by their father when he jumped from the building on August 15.

Mr Hogan, a tiler from Bradley Stoke, Bristol, cut his wrists in Korydallos prison in Athens, Dimitris Xyritakis said.

"Mr Hogan is in prison in Korydallos, where he attempted suicide," Mr Xyritakis said. "He tried to cut his arms and had the tool to do it. He is now in the hospital in the prison, but was not successful in his suicide."

Mr Xyritakis said he was angry his client had been given the opportunity to make an attempt on his own life when he was supposed to be on suicide watch.

"I warned the prison that he would try this, but they didn't accept my warning and it lead him to do such a thing. The guards must protect any prisoner from such a thing. I'm very disappointed. I will be asking the minister of justice to punish everybody who has let him down."

The lawyer said he had been told of the incident by a clerk at the prison and had not had the chance to speak to his client.

On Wednesday, Mr Hogan was charged with Liam's murder and the attempted murder of Mia. He was formally remanded in custody after appearing in court for the first time. Mr Hogan told an investigating magistrate in Crete that he could not remember leaping from the balcony with Liam tucked under one arm and Mia under the other.

Mr Hogan said the last thing he remembered was becoming frantic when his wife, Natasha, threatened to leave him and take the children with her.

In a seven-page statement to the court he said he was overwhelmed with confusion when his wife indicated she wanted to leave him. "I was unable to bear the thought that I would live without my children. I loved my children very much.

"The desire to self-destruct which exploded within me all of a sudden overwhelmed my instinct of self-preservation and my sense of respect for human lives. As a result I lost my ability to distinguish right from wrong."

The magistrate was told Mr Hogan had a history of depression and two of his brothers had killed themselves. Liam Hogan suffered fatal head injuries in the fall earlier this month. Mr Hogan and Mia had broken bones. Describing the day's events before the tragedy, Mr Hogan said the family had been swimming, had lunch and begun to get ready for an evening out. "We were all very, very happy. My little son and I went fishing and I caught a fish in my net. My son was thrilled that I caught a fish."

The argument began shortly before dinner. "My wife threatened to leave me, take the children and go and live with her mother. I asked about flying home early. They said there were only three seats left available. My wife said she was going to take those three seats and go home with the children."

He said the next thing he remembered was waking up, mentally disoriented, in an ambulance.

The hearing was private but Mr Xyritakis said his client's mother told the judge that Mr Hogan had been severely affected by the suicides of his brothers: one took an overdose and the other jumped from a bridge.

The magistrate asked for a psychiatric report. "If this shows he was not in a sane state of mind and this is accepted by the court at his trial, he will not be jailed. He will be sent to a mental institution."