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| Jonathan Hiles inquest hears Greek police 'hit' friend of accused | Jonathan Hiles inquest hears Greek police 'hit' friend of accused |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man whose friend was accused of killing a Cardiff teenager in a Greek nightclub was beaten by officers and made to change his witness statement, an inquest has heard. | A man whose friend was accused of killing a Cardiff teenager in a Greek nightclub was beaten by officers and made to change his witness statement, an inquest has heard. |
| Jonathan Hiles, 18, was in a nightclub on the island of Zante in July 2007 when he was punched and fell from a stage. | Jonathan Hiles, 18, was in a nightclub on the island of Zante in July 2007 when he was punched and fell from a stage. |
| He later died from head injuries. | He later died from head injuries. |
| Andrew Symeou, 25, from north London, was charged with manslaughter but acquitted in 2011. | Andrew Symeou, 25, from north London, was charged with manslaughter but acquitted in 2011. |
| Mr Symeou had been in the resort of Laganas with a group of friends from Enfield, including Christopher Kyriacou, who today gave evidence at Mr Hiles' inquest in Cardiff. | Mr Symeou had been in the resort of Laganas with a group of friends from Enfield, including Christopher Kyriacou, who today gave evidence at Mr Hiles' inquest in Cardiff. |
| Coroner Mary Hassell read out a police statement by Mr Kyriacou, which had been signed four days after Mr Hiles was injured. | Coroner Mary Hassell read out a police statement by Mr Kyriacou, which had been signed four days after Mr Hiles was injured. |
| It said his friend had "panicked" and fled the nightclub after hitting Mr Hiles following a row over a girl. | It said his friend had "panicked" and fled the nightclub after hitting Mr Hiles following a row over a girl. |
| But the witness, who was 18 at the time of the interview, told the court that the Greek police's account was "100% untrue". | But the witness, who was 18 at the time of the interview, told the court that the Greek police's account was "100% untrue". |
| He said: "They first asked me about my heritage and where my family was from - I said my family were Greek-Cypriot. | He said: "They first asked me about my heritage and where my family was from - I said my family were Greek-Cypriot. |
| "They said I was lucky, otherwise things were going to be a lot worse. | "They said I was lucky, otherwise things were going to be a lot worse. |
| "First they put me in a completely dark room for around 30 minutes. Then they turned the lights on and around six other officers filed into the room. | "First they put me in a completely dark room for around 30 minutes. Then they turned the lights on and around six other officers filed into the room. |
| 'Ballistic' | |
| "I was very scared and intimidated. They kept asking me 'what happened?' and I told them I didn't know. | "I was very scared and intimidated. They kept asking me 'what happened?' and I told them I didn't know. |
| "One officer went ballistic and grabbed me by my neck. I was then hit around the face and punched to the head. | "One officer went ballistic and grabbed me by my neck. I was then hit around the face and punched to the head. |
| "My thinking was 'I am just going to have to do what they want me to do'. I needed to get out of the police station for the safety of my own life. | "My thinking was 'I am just going to have to do what they want me to do'. I needed to get out of the police station for the safety of my own life. |
| "I did not know what was going to happen to me." | "I did not know what was going to happen to me." |
| The inquest heard that Mr Symeou and Mr Hiles did not know each other and had been holidaying in Zante separately. | |
| The holiday was the first time Mr Symeou and a group of his friends had been abroad on their own without their parents. | |
| Mr Hiles had flown to Laganas with a group of friends to celebrate his forthcoming 19th birthday. | |
| Hit on cheek | |
| Less than 24 hours after arriving on the island, the court was told the Welsh teenager's party were at a club called Rescue when they were involved in an altercation in the early hours of 20 July. | |
| Mr Hiles' friends told coroner Ms Hassell they had been dancing on a "chest-high" stage in the club at around 1.30am when another reveller urinated on them. | |
| Some went to the toilet to clean up, although Mr Hiles and his friend Mark O'Gorman stayed put. | |
| On Wednesday, Mr O'Gorman said he saw Mr Hiles hit on the left cheek after he asked the man in a non-aggressive tone: "What are you doing?" | |
| He said he was certain the man he had seen hit him was Mr Symeou. | |
| But friends of the 25-year-old Londoner told the inquest on Thursday said they did not arrive at the club until 4am. | |
| Mr Kyriacou said he was confident the group had not split up at any point during their night out. |