FALL DEATH BOY UNLAWFULLY KILLED !

Liam Hogan died and his sister was badly injured in the fall Hogan mother reacts

Liam Hogan died after falling 50ft (15m) from the Petra Mare Hotel, in Crete, with his father, John, and sister, Mia, then aged two, in 2006.

Liam died of head injuries and Mia broke several bones in the fall.

John Hogan, 33, from Bradley Stoke, near Bristol, was cleared of murder at a trial in Crete. He was committed to a psychiatric unit for a minimum of three years. Avon Coroner, Paul Forrest, recorded a verdict of unlawful killing.

Mr Hogan must live his life coming to terms with the pain his actions has caused others and Liam's mother Kerstin Scheel John Hogan's solicitor

He said: "The evidence in this inquest, unchallenged, clearly and beyond reasonable doubt demonstrated that the act of pushing the children off the balcony was one which no reasonable and sober person would have perpetrated.

"The facts were abundantly clear in that the children were seen to be pushed off the balcony, objectively an unlawful act," he said. He added Mr Hogan had been acquitted in court on the basis that he had not known what he was doing was wrong.

The Greek court's verdict was based on evidence from two psychiatrists, he said. "Such findings gave rise to a good defence to murder or manslaughter on the basis of insanity," he said.

The coroner said UK law states that inquest findings should be consistent with the findings of trials held only in the UK and not abroad, so the findings of the Greek trial would not affect his verdict.

Liam's mother, Natasha Visser, has previously called on British authorities to "rectify a miscarriage of justice" after her ex-husband was cleared of murder. Outside the inquest, Ms Visser said it had given her "refreshing clarity" on what had happened.

John Hogan was cleared of murder at a trial in Crete

"The verdict comes as no surprise and it is up to the Crown Prosecution Service to consider what if any action is to be taken. Justice has so far not been done.

"I cannot describe the pain I feel. The image of those children looking like they were trying to reach out to each other will haunt me forever."

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said there was "no reason to believe" Mr Hogan would face any charges whatever the outcome of the verdict.

Mr Hogan's solicitor, Kerstin Scheel, said the coroner had not questioned the psychiatric evidence and had not taken her client's state of mind into account in reaching his verdict.

"Words cannot describe the love Liam's parents and family felt for him. They must all attempt to live their lives coming to terms with the pain they feel as a result of their loss," she added.

"Mr Hogan must also live his life coming to terms with the pain his actions has caused others and in particular Liam's mother." According to Greek doctors, Mr Hogan is making good progress. The BBC's Malcolm Brabant, in Greece, said he may be released soon.

Mr Hogan's lawyer Dimitris Xiritakis is planning to go before the courts in late April to apply for Mr Hogan to be allowed to return to Britain. Mr Xiritakis told the BBC Mr Hogan had undergone therapy, was not dangerous and would not be required to be kept in a secure hospital if repatriated.

He added, however, that Mr Hogan had permanent problems and his family had a duty to keep him under medical and psychiatric supervision.

BBC NEWS REPORT.