A DENTIST and his former lover, who are accused of murdering their partners in Northern Ireland 19 years ago, are to undergo further psychiatric examinations, a court has been told.
New medical reports on Dr Colin Howell and Hazel Stewart are to be prepared before their trial begins later this year, Belfast Crown Court was told yesterday.
The two have pleaded not guilty before Mr Justice Hart to the murders of Dr Howell’s wife Lesley, who trained as a nurse at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, and Ms Stewart’s first husband, police officer Trevor Buchanan. Their bodies were found in a car filled with carbon monoxide in Castlerock, Co Derry, in May 1991.
The trial, expected to last from three to four weeks, is due to begin in mid-November, but before then fresh psychiatric tests are to be conducted and reports submitted in September.
Apart from replying “not guilty” when they were formally arraigned, Dr Howell (51), Glebe Road, Castlerock, and Ms Stewart (47), Ballystrone Road, Coleraine, Co Derry, did not speak during the 10-minute hearing.
Ms Stewart has been out on bail since she and Dr Howell were arrested by police in January last year, when detectives reopened an investigation into the two deaths. Ms Stewart had to surrender her passport and report daily to police.
Dr Howell is being held on remand at Maghaberry Prison, near Lisburn, Co Antrim, where he has been examined by a psychiatrist. He is to undergo further psychiatric testing.
It is not clear whether the trial will be held in Belfast or Antrim.
Relatives of Mr Buchanan, were in the public gallery yesterday, while Lesley Howell’s brother, Dr Chris Clarke, was also in court. – (PA)