A Greek pilot who confessed to killing his British spouse immediately after saying she was suffocated by burglars has been billed with her murder.

Babis Anagnostopoulos, 33, wore a bulletproof vest when he arrived in a court docket in Athens on Friday more than the killing of Caroline Crouch, 20, on 11 Might.

He originally advised law enforcement he was tied up and gagged by three robbers who had suffocated his spouse and stole €15,000 (£13,000) from their dwelling in Glyka Nera, close to Athens. It prompted police to difficulty a €300,000 (£258,000) reward for facts about the incident.

On the other hand, a law enforcement investigation discovered inconsistencies in the pilot’s account immediately after wanting via a variety of gadgets like cellular phones, a smartwatch and cameras.

A smartwatch worn by Ms Crouch reportedly recorded a pulse examining on the working day she died which did not corroborate with her husband’s testimony. There were also discrepancies found on Anagnostopoulos’ mobile mobile phone at the time of her murder, when he claimed to have been tied up.

His lawyer confirmed that he experienced confessed to the crime, incorporating that he experienced expressed regret for his actions. Anagnostopoulos is owing to return to court docket future week to give evidence.

Costas Hassiotis, director of the greater Athens homicide division, stated: “Everything was staged for the criminal offense scene to glimpse like the scene of a robbery.” He added that Anagnostopoulos experienced tied his have palms and individuals of his dead wife.

Ms Crouch died of suffocation, law enforcement claimed, although the couple’s daughter was discovered unharmed and the loved ones puppy choked to loss of life on its leash.

According to a area media internet site, Anagnostopoulos confessed to police that he killed Ms Crouch just after she threatened to leave him and choose their 11-month-previous baby daughter.

Police arrested the pilot and flight instructor on Thursday following he attended a memorial assistance for his late wife on the Greek island of Alonnisos.

Anagnostopoulos was taken to police headquarters in Athens exactly where he was interviewed for far more than 6 hrs just before officers declared he was a suspect.

Greek police released a statement on Twitter on Thursday that read through: “Investigation of the murder of a 20-calendar year-previous native that took place on Might 11, 2021 in Glyka Nera. The perpetrator is her 33-calendar year-outdated partner, who confessed to his act.”

In an Instagram submit five times right after Ms Crouch’s demise, Anagnostopoulos uploaded a photograph of the couple on a vacation to Portugal, composing: “Always together. Farewell, my enjoy.”

Ms Crouch was a British national but experienced used most of her lifetime in Alonnisos.

Extra reporting by Linked Press