Luke Walker's dad says acquittal hopes are high (From Stourbridge News)

Luke Walker's dad says acquittal hopes are high

9:30am Thursday 13th September 2012 in News By Bev Holder

THE battling Brierley Hill father of murder charge man Luke Walker said this week hopes are high that his son will be vindicated in just a few weeks time.

Luke, of Gayfield Avenue, is due to stand trial in Crete next month for the alleged murder of his 20-year-old girlfriend Chelsea Hyndman who Greek authorities claim died of injuries caused by a beating.

The 24-year-old barman has strenuously denied the charge and following a costly two-year fight to gather evidence to clear his name his family say they are now ready to prove their case in court.

His dad Patrick Walker told the News: “We’ve worked hard and we have put thousands of pounds into it. It’s frightening how much has been spent - around £180,000 to £200,000 - and we haven’t finished yet.

“We have put everything we have got into giving Luke the best defence possible and I feel very confident that we’re there now.

“We need to get the right verdict. If we don’t get this right - Luke’s lost his life.”

He said his wife Lindy, a Dudley Council care worker, has already flown out to Crete to be with Luke - whose bail conditions forbid him to leave Greece - ahead of the trial which is due to start at the Mixed Criminal Court in Heraklion on October 16.

Patrick, who runs Walker Electrics, and his son Ryan, aged 31, are expecting to head out in a couple of weeks.

Mr Walker said: “I’m trying to do as much work as I can to get the money in before the end of September as the court case is going to cost a lot.”

He said friends have continued to hold fundraisers to help pay for legal bills and he said his son Ryan “has been absolutely golden” helping to keep the family business afloat amid the stressful wait for the trial.

Mr Walker, aged 55, who suffered a heart attack last January as the pressure of the case took its toll, said he is expecting the four-week trial, which will conducted in Greek, to be “horrendous”.

He said: “We want to get on with it and get his name cleared but I'm not looking forward to it.”

Mr Walker said he’s never doubted his son’s innocence - saying: “When I saw him for the first time after his arrest he said 'Dad, I've done nothing wrong - I'm innocent’. That's good enough for me.”

Luke is being represented by top Greek solicitor Georgios D. Pryomallis who last year secured the acquittal of Enfield student Andrew Symeou who was accused of manslaughter in Zante in 2007.