LONDON, England -- Ministers are being urged to secure an investigation into the death of a Devon man killed in a car accident in Ukraine in which his internet bride is a suspect.
An appeal has been made to the UK Government for an inquiry into the suspicious death of Barry Pring, who was run over near the capital, Kiev, more than two years ago, after it was claimed attempts for a proper probe had been blocked by the Ukrainian authorities.
Parliament heard that immediately after Mr Pring was killed, his Ukrainian wife, whom he had married only a year earlier after meeting her through an online dating agency, came to Britain attempting to get hold of his assets.
MPs were told Mr Pring was a "reasonably wealthy" man.
The case was raised by his constituency MP Neil Parish, the member for Tiverton and Honiton, and so is covered by parliamentary privilege. He pressed for a proper investigation.
Deputy Commons Leader David Heath said he would raise the case with the Foreign Office minister responsible for consular services.
Mr Parish told a parliamentary debate: "A constituent of mine, Mr Barry Pring, joined a dating agency in 2007, met a Ukrainian woman online and later married her. To cut a long story short, tragically, a year later Mr Pring was run over in a very suspicious car accident 28 kilometres outside Kiev.
"An investigation is being carried out into whether – I think I can say this under parliamentary privilege – his wife was responsible for his death.
"Immediately after his death, she came to Britain and started trying to get hold of all his assets, and he was a reasonably wealthy man. I have written to ministers to try to find out what exactly we can do."
Highlighting the difficulties encountered, Mr Parish said: "Of course, I understand the issue of the sovereign powers of Ukraine, but this case is not being investigated properly by the Ukrainian authorities. Every time we try to get a proper investigation that is blocked.
"There is no doubt that there are problems within the police authorities in Ukraine.
"We have dealt with our own police and with Interpol, and I appeal to ministers to do much more to make sure that a proper investigation into the death of my constituent is carried out, so that his family can know what happened to him."
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We have provided consular assistance to the family since the death.
"The British Embassy in Kiev has written to the Ukrainian authorities several times seeking updates on the case. We have passed on whatever information we have received to the family."
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