Stewart loses appeal over murder

Jan 21 2013

A former Sunday school teacher's bid to overturn her conviction for murdering the wife of her ex-lover has failed.

The Court of Appeal in Belfast refused Hazel Stewart's appeal against her conviction for the murder of Lesley Howell in Coleraine, Co Londonderry, in 1991.

Stewart was also found guilty of murdering her policeman husband, Trevor Buchanan, as part of a joint enterprise with her former lover, Colin Howell.

The 49-year-old former playgroup assistant dropped her appeal over that conviction ahead of the start of the hearing.

Refusing the appeal over Mrs Howell's murder, Lord Justice Malachy Higgins said: "There is no reason to doubt the safety of this conviction."