For the fifth time, since the beginning last February in the second degree of Babis Anagnostopoulos, the trial was interrupted at the request of the defense.

The man sentenced to life plus an additional 11.6 years for the murder of his wife Caroline Crouchs and the killing of her dog, did not join the court today from the Malandrino prison, where he is being held.

The accused sent a document in which he informed the seat of the Mixed Court of Appeal that this period of time he is studying to take nationwide exams with the aim of passing law school.

With the start of today’s trial, an associate of the office of the 34-year-old lawyer, Alexandros Papaioannidis, informed that the lawyer must appear in another trial while Mrs. Vlachioti, another lawyer of the office, is bedridden. Thus, for the fifth time, he requested an interruption of the proceedings, which in the previous trial had proceeded to the examination of the first witnesses.

The request provoked the reaction of both the counsel in support of the Class and the Chair, with the Prosecutor stressing that the trial must take place.

President to his partner Mr. Papaioannidis: You can’t exercise the duties of the defender?

Lawyer: I have no authority.

Thanasis Harmanis (lawyer of the Crouchs family): There is ethics among colleagues. We also have other courts. We started on 20/2 and arrived today not to judge again. We will have a break due to elections. Journalists from England pick me up and tell me that this doesn’t happen anywhere in Europe. Five times I have come from Volos and we have tried only four hours. I was assured that his colleague will be here to represent the accused.

Prosecutor: Let’s exhaust the possibility of finding a solution.

President: So Ms. Vlachioti is a patient at home? If we send a policeman will he find her?

Lawyer: Of course, there it is.

Finally the court accepted the request and adjourned the trial for Thursday, June 1st.

Upon his exit from the Court of Appeal, the lawyer of the victim’s family, Thanasis Harmanis, said in a statement that the accused “is being unfairly bothered to enter law school” and that he should go “to the drama school where he has talent”.