A Greek man charged with premeditated homicide in the death of his British spouse was heckled as heavily-armed police officers escorted him to court for the first time
Angry locals jeered handcuffed Charalambos (Babis) Anagnostopoulos, 33, and called him a "murderer" and "monster", and shouted "rot in prison" as he arrived to face a judge in Athens.
Security was heavy to shield Anagnostopoulos, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest and surrounded by officers armed with assault rifles. It came as his lawyer, Vassilis Spyrou, quit the case for "personal reasons".
Anagnostopoulos has allegedly confessed to smothering his wife, Caroline Crouch, 20, with a pillow in the front of their 11-month-old daughter Lydia in a case that has stunned and angered the public in Greece.
It is alleged Anagnostopoulos was "quite cheerful" at a detention centre on Saturday, two days after allegedly confessing, and stated "instead of ending up in jail I must take care of my daughter and her upbringing from now on", Skai reported.
Ms Crouch was discovered dead at the couple's upscale home in the Athens suburb of Glyka Nera on the morning of May 11.
Her British father David Crouch and Filipina mom Susan Dela Cuesta have spoken out for the first time, amid reports they and Anagnostopoulos' parents have agreed to share custody of one-year-old Lydia.
Liverpool-born Mr Crouch, 78, informed the Daily Mail: "Both Susan and I will spend the rest of our lives making sure that justice is achieved and making sure that her little daughter Lydia is brought up with all the benefits that we can give her and that the reminiscences of her mom stay forever."
They told of their deep pride in the their daughter who was "cruelly taken away at the beginning of what was anticipated to be a wonderful life".
Mr Crouch and Ms Dela Cuesta, who stay on the island of Alonnisos, had wept with Anagnostopoulos following Ms Crouch's death, and were horrified when they were informed he had allegedly confessed, it was reported.
A custody hearing was taking place at the same time as Anagnostopoulos' court appearance on Tuesday.
Athanasios Harmanis, a lawyer representing Mr Crouch and Ms Dela Cuesta, stated of Ms Crouch's mother: "At the second funeral of her child, she realised that she was embracing the hands that took her daughter's breath away."
Referring to Anagnostopoulos hugging Ms Dela Cuesta at a memorial service last week, he added: "Do you understand how painful and tragic this is for a mother?"
Mr Harmanis added that Ms Crouch's parents and Mr Anagnostopoulos' parents have excellent relations with each other and a "mutual understanding and love" for their granddaughter.