New hope over Luke Walker murder charge

A man from Brierley Hill accused of killing his girlfriend in Crete was today given hope by the results of a second post mortem.

Luke Walker, aged 22, is charged with murdering 21-year-old Chelsea Hyndman.

Speaking from outside court in the capital Heraklion, his father Patrick today said a summary of the results from the West Yorkshire coroner had been sent to his solicitor in Greece.

He said they showed Miss Hyndman died from a single injury to the pancreas, adding weight to Walker's story she was hurt when she fell down some steps and landed on a beer glass.

"It's a relief to have it in writing," he said. "We're now waiting for the full report to be sent over, so we can apply for bail again."

West Yorkshire Police confirmed the post-mortem had been carried out, but would not release official details.

Defence witnesses were today being called into court for cross-examination in a preliminary hearing.

Mr Walker added: "Luke has just given up hope. He doesn't care about himself any more, he just wants to get out so he can say goodbye to his girlfriend.

"Nobody in this place seems to understand that he has lost the girl he loved. They're treating him like he's already guilty — it's unbelievable."

Miss Hyndman, of Castleford, West Yorkshire, died in intensive care after an emergency operation for ruptured internal organs, which Greek doctors claimed were caused by physical violence.

A Facebook group protesting Walker's innocence has friends saying: "We all know how much they loved each other and that Luke wouldn't and couldn't harm a hair on that girl's head."

On a tribute page for Miss Hyndman, her mother Heather, 45, has posted: "I would like to thank you for all your kind words, they are a comfort to us at this darkest of all times."