Greek court hears Briton's case

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A court in the western Greek city of Patras heard testimony Friday from defense witnesses in the trial of a British man accused of causing the death of a compatriot in a fight during an island holiday.

Andrew Symeou is accused of punching Jonathan Hiles off a platform in a nightclub on the island of Zakinthos in July 2007. Hiles later died of his injuries. Symeou denies he was in the club. He has been charged with causing fatal bodily injuries, a felony with a minimum five-year sentence.

Symeou's defense lawyer, Giorgos Pyromallis, said he had brought perjury suits against two of Hiles' friends for testimony they gave earlier this week, and intended to do the same for another three. The trial was postponed until April 19.

It has already been postponed several times for various reasons, including a lawyers' strike, a request by a lawyer for Hiles' family for more time to review the case, and a defense request for a new interpreter.

Trials in Greece often take months or even years, and postponements are common.

Symeou was extradited to Greece to stand trial for Hiles' death in 2009. He was held in pretrial detention for 10 months before being granted bail. Some rights organizations, such as Fair Trials International, argue he should not have been extradited.