A Greek man suspected of murdering his British wife after claiming she was killed during a robbery at their home tried to create a convincing crime scene by placing their baby next to its dead mother, according to police.

Babis Anagnostopoulos is also accused of choking the family dog to death with its lead in his bid to fool investigators.

The 33-year-old helicopter pilot and flight instructor, who is due in court later, is said by police to have confessed but his lawyers have so far made no public comment.

He has not been formally charged.

Caroline Crouch, 20, a British national who grew up in Greece, was found murdered in the bedroom of the couple’s home outside Athens on 11 May after her husband called the police.

Following the killing, Anagnostopoulos told reporters they had been tied up and gagged by robbers who killed her after breaking into their property.

Police had offered a £257,000 reward for information on the crime.

Anagnostopoulos was detained late on Thursday for the killing of Ms Crouch, after attending a memorial service on the Aegean Sea island of Alonissos, where she grew up.

Nikos Rigas, the deputy chairman of the police officers’ association of Athens, told state TV that examination of mobile devices, a smartwatch, and cameras had established a timeline that revealed inconsistencies in the pilot’s account.

“(The suspect) tried to create a crime scene environment that looked convincing: The dog was killed, and his baby was placed next to the body of the murdered mother,” Mr Rigas said.

In an Instagram post on 16 May, Anagnostopoulos uploaded a photograph of the couple on a trip to Portugal, writing: “Always together. Farewell, my love.”

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