A man who stands accused of strangling his parents in their beds last night proclaimed his innocence.

Ryan Johnson, 32, has been charged with the double murder of his father Terence, 54, and his mother Josephine, 53. The couple's bodies were found in their villa in Crete, where the family had moved last year from Newlyn, West Cornwall.

Johnson was last week freed on £14,000 bail. Speaking last night to the Western Morning News from his hotel room on the Greek island, Johnson said: "I did not kill my parents. I am an innocent man.

"I loved mum and dad very much, they were great. We were a very close family and always have been - I would never harm them. I can't believe this has happened to them. They were such good, loving people and I did not kill them."

Johnson was arrested after he told police he had found his parents' bodies on Sunday, March 12 at the white villa in the village of Almyrida.

Johnson, who used to work as administrator at The Works Dance and Theatre, Truro, said: "I went out at 9.15pm with some friends. I was driving everyone around that night so only had two beers and got home at 1am.

"My bedroom was upstairs and mum and dad's was downstairs. Like anyone else when I came in I didn't want to disturb them so I crept through the house and went straight to my room. There was no need for me to go into their room - why would I?"

The couple were found bound and gagged. Mrs Johnson, a former care worker and part-time nurse at West Cornwall Hospital, had been strangled. Mr Johnson, a former mechanic, miner and publican also died of strangulation, but suffered three stab wounds to the neck. A washing line had been used to kill both.

Greek police have pointed out that Johnson did not ring them straight away after he said he discovered the bodies, but rang a friend instead. Johnson, who had been working as a swimming pool cleaner in Crete, said: "I didn't know the police phone number to ring so I rang a friend who has lived in Crete for four years.

"But he didn't know the number either and had to get another friend to find it for us."

Johnson said that before he went out on the Saturday night the family had agreed they would all enjoy a lie-in the next morning. He said: "I got up just after noon. I thought mum and dad were still enjoying their lie-in. The night before dad and I talked about going out on the Sunday to watch the Manchester United game - he was a big fan and so am I."

Some have suggested an Albanian gang may have carried out the murders in a botched burglary, nut Johnson is not so sure. He said: "It's unfair to point the finger at one particular ethnic group. There are a lot of different communities living in Crete. But the one thing they all have in common is poverty. I think that's the link.

"I believe my family stuck out because we'd bought a brand new villa, dad had just bought mum a new car and we'd had a big launch party to celebrate mum opening-up her gift shop.

"We weren't rich by any stroke of the imagination - but compared to a lot of people living in Crete we probably appeared so."

Johnson said investigating officers had revealed they now believe the murders were carried out by more than one person. He said: "The police think there might have been three or four people. And it looks as though mum and dad put up a fight defending themselves."

Johnson also refuted allegations made in the parts of the national press that his sexuality had triggered a violent row which had resulted in the murders.

He said: "When I was 22 I wrote a note to mum and dad and left it on the kitchen table telling them I was gay. When I came home mum told me she and dad had already guessed and they were fine about it. It was never an issue."

Johnson says he is receiving support from friends and family.

He said: "It means such a lot to know people in Cornwall are right behind me throughout this nightmare. My family and friends have been wonderful."

Solicitor Andrew McCooey of Freedom Now, who represents Britons abroad, has taken up Johnson's case, and describes the Greek authorities as "amateurish". He said: "There is no doubt Ryan is totally innocent. He was devoted to his parents and loved them very much. They have charged Ryan because they have simply gone for the easy option. If they can explain the murders as within a family it won't scare holidaymakers from the island."

Mr McCooey claimed Johnson had been allowed to stay in his own clothes from the night in question while being questioned and that they had not been sent away for forensic examination.

He said: "The Greek police even asked Ryan to go back to the house to close a window because they didn't want to disturb the crime scene.

"He did so and naturally this meant him walking through parts of the house where there was blood on the floor - the blood would have been picked up on the bottom of his shoes."

Mr McCooey said he believed an Albanian gang had carried out the murders.

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