NEW eyewitnesses to the death of six-year-old Liam Hogan came forward for the first time yesterday to describe seeing him "pushed" off a hotel balcony in Crete.
The holidaymakers, who did not give evidence during the trial of the children's father, John Hogan, in Crete, gave dramatic accounts at an inquest in Bristol.
One shouted: "Oh my God – he's killed his kids," as she watched Liam reach for his sis
ter as they plunged 50ft to the ground.
Liam, from Bristol, died of severe head injuries after falling from the Petra Mare Hotel, in Crete, with his father, John, and sister Mia, then aged two.
Witnesses told the inquest they saw the children and their father on the fourth-floor balcony before the plunge.
Sarah Davidson broke down in tears as she told of seeing the three plunge to the ground.
Waiting for a coach outside the hotel at 11pm, Mrs Davidson said she heard a "horrific" argument above her. "That's when I saw two children on the balcony on the edge. The male voice – I couldn't hear what he was saying, but it was horrific. That's when the male came forward and pushed them off."
She added: "As they fell, he grabbed the railings and plunged himself off. He went down head first. He didn't have his arms out to stop himself."
Liam died instantly but Hogan and Mia survived the tragedy on 15 August, 2006.
Liam's mother, Natasha, earlier told the inquest of her rows with ex-husband Hogan, on the day of the tragedy.
Hogan, 33, has been receiving treatment at a psychiatric hospital near Athens since a court cleared him of murder, ruling he was suffering an "earthquake" of psychosis when he took Liam's life.
The coroner adjourned the case and will announce his verdict today.
The full article contains 307 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
