Joshua Foster, 37, from Essex, United Kingdom, was visibly emotional, wiping away tears as he appeared in Paphos District Court on 6/10 to request leniency.

Last month, Foster pleaded guilty to causing death by careless act, an offense carrying a maximum penalty of four years in prison. His plea was entered during a court session that lasted only 3 minutes.

According to court statements, Foster, an AI director at a major UK company, was on vacation with his family in Cyprus, having arrived on 12/7.

After checking into their room on the 4th floor of the hotel, he carried his 2-year-old son to wait for the elevator. Once he had pressed the elevator button, Foster placed the child on the corridor windowsill so the boy could look at the swimming pool and the scenery below.

The boy subsequently fell 12 m from the 4th-floor window. The entire family rushed downstairs to find their son; however, the boy died at the hospital.

The 4th-floor window of the hotel where the boy fell. Photo: Telegraph

The father admitted his error, stating he had believed there was protective glass. He expressed that this momentary lapse of judgment would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Tests indicated that Foster had consumed alcohol earlier that day, though prosecutors did not accuse him of being intoxicated.

While Foster has been permitted to fly back to the United Kingdom to attend his son's funeral, he is otherwise not allowed to leave Cyprus.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on 16/10.