Luke Walker Found Guilty

A 25-year-old from Brierley Hill has been found guilty of GBH leading to the death of his girlfriend on the holiday island of Crete three years ago.

Luke Walker from Brierley Hill was convicted of killing Chelsea Hyndman, who died on May 17, 2010, at Heraklion Mixed Criminal Court.

He had been charged with and subsequently denied her murder but judges at his trial tonight accepted a motion from the public prosecutor to downgrade the murder charge after it was argued he did not intend to kill Miss Hyndman.

Walker was handed an eight-year suspended sentence.

Earlier in the day an emotional Walker had vowed to the court that he was innocent, saying his "whole life fell apart" as Miss Hyndman was rushed to hospital the day before she died.

The court was told that Miss Hyndman died as a result of acute peritonitis, inflammation of the thin layer of tissue that lines the inside of the abdomen.