THE Cradley Heath grandmother of Black Country murder suspect Luke Walker is pinning her hopes on an innocent verdict from his trial in Crete this week.

Ever since the Brierley Hill barman was arrested over the murder of his girlfriend Chelsea Hyndman in 2010, Salvation Army stalwart Betty Walker has been praying for her beloved grandson’s name to be cleared.

Betty, who last year raised more than £1,000 by asking for donations for Luke instead of gifts for her 80th birthday, said: “My son phones me every night and lets me know what is happening as they are in court all day.”

“It is not looking too good at the moment but I am confident that Luke will be found innocent.”

She added: “I have done what I can in raising money for his costs.”

Luke, from Gayfield Avenue, Brierley Hill, strenuously denies murder and his gran Betty, from Lawrence Lane, is one of his most dedicated supporters.

She regularly holds table top fundraising sales and “prayed every night that God would watch over him.”

Luke’s trial began at Heraklion Mixed Criminal Court this week and could be concluded as early as today (Thursday).

Miss Hyndman, of Castleford, West Yorkshire, died after she was taken to hospital with abdominal pains in May 2010 and Greek prosecutors claim she was beaten by Mr Walker, who is charged with one count of murder, but he claims she fell during a night out.

A friend of the couple, Louise Purdy, 27, told the court she had noticed Miss Hyndman become ill after a drinking game went wrong. Miss Purdy told the court she had been celebrating her birthday with Miss Hyndman on a girls’ night out on May 6, 2010.

She said: “All I remember is watching her feet, she had very high heels on and the floor was very cobbley and as she was going across me her feet were very unsteady as if she was about to fall.

The last thing I know Chelsea had hit the floor, she had gone down.

“I asked her ‘are you okay?’ and she said that she had hurt herself slightly on the stomach.”

Miss Purdy explained in the days after her accident, 20-year-old Miss Hyndman became ill with her eyes “discoloured”, the whites“ yellowy” and her stomach becoming bloated.

Walker, who appeared in court in black trousers and a white shirt accompanied by members of his family, had kept Miss Purdy updated on Miss Hyndman’s condition.

Miss Purdy added: “I don’t think he would have ever done anything to hurt her.”