Caroline Crouch’s twisted husband claims she became aggressive after a miscarriage in sickening bid to blame her
CAROLINE Crouch's twisted husband has shamelessly blamed her for her murder claiming she became aggressive after a miscarriage.
Babis Anagnostopoulos, 33, claimed his wife began having "aggressive outbursts" following the loss of their first baby.
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It was then her "explosions" that she had with him that made him kill her, the warped husband claimed.
"Caroline became pregnant a few weeks after we got married," he told a judge in an Athens court.
Meanwhile, Caroline's family's lawyer has revealed that a battle is underway for the custody of eleventh-month-old, Lydia.
Speaking to "Good morning Greece" today, Thanasis Harmanis said if an agreement over the child’s future couldn’t be found, Susan and David Crouch would apply to the courts, and the prosecutor in charge of the minors division, for consent to look after the little girl.
“We believe that the family environment on Alonissos is absolutely suitable at least for the first years of the child’s upbringing,” he told the TV show ruling out the child being sent to a foster home or orphanage.
Taking care of Lydia would be a form of consolation for the family, he said.
“I can tell you what word-for-word, what the mother said to me,” he added referring to Susan Crouch, Caroline’s distraught mum.
“He took my child from me, if I lose my grandchild it will be the last shot for me.”
Lydia, who was found by police lying next to Caroline’s lifeless body on the morning that her father strangled her mother, is currently being cared for by the self-confessed killer's parents in Athens.
But Harmanis reiterated that the two grandmothers had “good relations.”
“There is communication between the two families. If we can come to a compromise solution we will announce it to the prosecutor, if not, we will submit our request for exclusive custody [to be given to Susan].”
The lawyer said there was recognition that at some point Lydia would begin to ask questions.
“The years pass. At some point, she will want answers and of course, we will need the help of experts,” he said.
Emphasising his role as Lydia’s father, he has also said he wants to have a hand in looking after her from behind bars if, as expected, he is convicted.
“His only concern is little Lydia who he wants to continue to see and to bring up when he gets out of jail,” Babis’ lawyer Alexandros Papaioannou said.
But legal experts have called his stance a ruse – saying the pilot wants to exploit his position as a father to get parental leave and even shorten his sentence.
If Babis manages to retain some form of parental custody in the coming days as his lawyers suggest, he may be looking at a lighter sentence.
On Monday, Greek prosecutors said that Babis placed their baby beside Caroline's body after he murdered her in a bid to cover up the crime.
Greek investigator Nikos Rigas told state TV that Anagnostopoulos had "tried to create a crime scene...that looked convincing".
"The dog was killed, and his baby was placed next to the body of the murdered mother," Rigas said.
The helicopter pilot was arrested by police on Thursday and admitted to killing Caroline in a fit of rage.
Yesterday he appeared in court after confessing to killing her.
He showed no emotion as he was led past a crowd shouting "rot in prison" while handcuffed and wearing a bulletproof vest.
A magistrate is hearing details about what happened on the fateful early morning when Caroline was suffocated by her husband.
He has been charged with murdering Caroline and is facing a life sentence for smothering her after earlier disarming CCTV in the house.
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He has fought "tooth and nail" to prove that the crime was not pre-meditated but occurred in a fit of rage.
If he is somehow able to convince the court then he could have his sentence cut to a maximum of 15 years.
HOW YOU CAN GET HELP:
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a available from 10am to noon.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.