British father charged after his toddler son fell to his death from hotel window in Cyprus allowed to return home for funeral

A British father who was charged after his toddler son fell to his death from a hotel window has been allowed to return home for the funeral.

The city banker from Essex was charged with causing death by a reckless act after his two-year-old boy fell four floors at the King Evelthon Beach Hotel in Chlorakas, near Paphos, in July.

The accountant said he lifted the youngster onto the window sill while waiting for the lift at the hotel believing that the window was shut.

The toddler tragically slipped and fell 33ft through the open window, where he died on July 12.

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This morning, Paphos district court lifted a restriction which had prohibited the father from returning home to attend the son's funeral and grieve with his loved ones.

He is due to attend court back in Cyprus on September 14 for the trial.

This morning, the 37-year-old told reporters: "I am really thankful to the judge and the authorities for letting me go home to my wife and my daughters, and that’s all I want to do now."

The father's previous bail conditions required the man to stay at an address registered with police in Cyprus after handing in his passport and paying €20,000 (£17,400) in bail.

Now, he will be forced to hand over another €10,000 in bail which he will receive upon his return in September.

After the hearing, defence lawyer Alexandros Alexandrou said: "Today, he is still struggling, but he is happy with this outcome.

"He was crying because, as we all understand, he needs to go back to his family, to his house, to grieve properly and to reunite with the members of the family – not only with his wife.

"Today, for him, it is a good day, it is a nice day because he was thinking they would not allow him to travel back and attend the funeral.

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"If this would happen, it would have been a disaster for him – devastating."

The man was arrested just hours after his son died, with the family only having arrived earlier that same day.

Police confirmed the horror incident took place while the executive and his son were playing together as they were waiting for a lift to take them downstairs for dinner.

Emergency services arrived at the scene at 6.40pm. The toddler was later pronounced dead at Paphos General Hospital.

Three hours after emergency services were called, the man was arrested on suspicion of negligence.

A little over a week later, Cypriot Attorney General George Savvides said he would be prosecuted.

If convicted, the Briton could be looking at up to four years in jail.

Paying tribute to the "truly special" toddler, one family friend said: "He was deeply adored, and his infectious smile, warm cuddles and kind heart are already so deeply missed and always will be."

The father is due to return to court on September 17. He is expected to enter a guilty or not guilty plea.

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