Balcony plunge man ready to return

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John Hogan will return to Britain a free man within the next week - despite his son's family condemning his imminent arrival as "simply horrendous".

The 36-year-old from Bristol, who killed young Liam after jumping from a Crete hotel balcony with him in his arms in 2006, has been receiving treatment since he was cleared last year of murder.

Brian Chandler, the stepfather of Liam's mother Natasha Visser, said the family had been rocked by the decision, saying he was concerned for the recovery of Ms Visser and her young daughter Mia, who was also badly injured after plunging with the pair.

In a statement, he said: "The prospect of John Hogan returning after just 16 months of a recommended minimum (by a very lenient Greek Court) of three years detention in a psychiatric unit is simply horrendous.

"As he has no conviction of any kind against him, he will therefore be free to travel the world, if he chooses, in search of Mia, the daughter he tried to kill. This is a 'child protection' issue which we intend to continue to pursue."

Liam died of head injuries, but Hogan and Mia survived with broken limbs following the plunge on August 15 2006.

His lawyers revealed on Friday night that they believe it could take up to a week to unravel the paperwork for his return after a court in Athens upheld an application for his release.

Mr Chandler, who lives near Bristol, said the family was still dissatisfied with the original verdict to find him not guilty of murder on psychiatric grounds in January last year.

A court on Crete upheld his defence that he had suffered an "earthquake of psychosis". The family also attacked the Crown Prosecution Service for not retrying Hogan in the UK.