Latest news with #ColinHowell
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Yahoo
Daughter considering meeting mother's killer, Hazel Stewart
The daughter of Lesley Howell has said she has made initial inquiries about possibly meeting her mother's killer to discuss her role in the murder. It comes as Hazel Stewart failed in a legal bid to secure a reduced jail sentence for the double murders of her husband Trevor Buchanan, 32, and 31-year-old Lesley Howell, who was the wife of her former lover Colin Howell. Stewart is currently serving an 18-year term for the 1991 murders. The 62-year-old's fresh legal challenge was made on the basis that she was under the coercive control of Lesley's husband, Colin Howell, who is serving a 21-year sentence in HMP Maghaberry for the murders. Lauren Bradford-Clarke told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme she has "reached out" and made "early inquiries" about restorative justice. "It's a very, very complicated thing. It would require me to really kind of drag a lot of stuff up," she said. "Being able to move forward, I think it would be quite a long process," she added. Now an assistant professor in criminology, Ms Bradford-Clarke said she uses her "professional head" in order to deal with the trauma. "Following my mummy's murder, there were five years where Hazel Stewart was very much part of my life, and I very much remember her and remember the time that we had with her," she said. "It's very sad in a lot of ways, I saw her as a mummy. I had lost my mum, and I wanted nothing more than to have a mum." Ms Bradford-Clarke said returning to the court is "very difficult" and "re-traumatising". "I lose sleep, I get very, very upset and emotional. It's definitely something that becomes almost overwhelming," she said. In respect of Stewart's recent appeal, Ms Bradford-Clarke said from her recollection, albeit as a young child, the description of "coercive control" did not fit the relationship between her father and Hazel Stewart. "That is not my professional opinion, that is my personal opinion," she said. "I do not think that coercive control is a factor here, and I certainly do not think Hazel is a victim. "There's many victims in this case. I find it quite distasteful that Hazel Stewart is being labelled a victim here. "What about my mum?" Both victims were found in a fume filled garage in Castlerock, County Londonderry in May 1991. Almost two decades later, Colin Howell confessed to the killings. Police originally believed the deaths were the result of a suicide pact after they discovered their partners were having an extra-marital affair. Instead, they had been drugged and murdered before their bodies were arranged to make it look like they had taken their own lives. Howell also implicated his former lover in the plot and gave evidence against her at her trial. During the trial, the court heard Howell had planned and carried out the killings and Stewart had facilitated them by drugging her husband, allowing Howell into her house and disposing of a hose pipe used in the murder. Speaking on Wednesday after Hazel Stewart's appeal was turned down, Lesley Howell's family, referring to their mother by her maiden name of Lesley Clarke, said they were relieved that this stage of the legal process was over, but there is "no joy and no celebration". "While this decision offers some reassurance, we recognise that there's no true end or closure. "Nothing will bring our mum back," her children said. 'New evidence' on mental health and control of double killer Stewart
BBC News
26-06-2025
- BBC News
Hazel Stewart: Daughter considering meeting mother's killer
The daughter of Lesley Howell has said she has made initial inquiries about possibly meeting her mother's killer to discuss her role in the murder. It comes as Hazel Stewart failed in a legal bid to secure a reduced jail sentence for the double murders of her husband Trevor Buchanan, 32, and 31-year-old Lesley Howell, who was the wife of her former lover Colin Howell. Stewart is currently serving an 18-year term for the 1991 murders. The 62-year-old's fresh legal challenge was made on the basis that she was under the coercive control of Lesley's husband, Colin Howell, who is serving a 21-year sentence in HMP Maghaberry for the murders. 'I saw her as a mummy' Lauren Bradford-Clarke told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme she has "reached out" and made "early inquiries" about restorative justice."It's a very, very complicated thing. It would require me to really kind of drag a lot of stuff up," she said. "Being able to move forward, I think it would be quite a long process," she added. Now an assistant professor in criminology, Ms Bradford-Clarke said she uses her "professional head" in order to deal with the trauma."Following my mummy's murder, there were five years where Hazel Stewart was very much part of my life, and I very much remember her and remember the time that we had with her," she said."It's very sad in a lot of ways, I saw her as a mummy. I had lost my mum, and I wanted nothing more than to have a mum."Ms Bradford-Clarke said returning to the court is "very difficult" and "re-traumatising"."I lose sleep, I get very, very upset and emotional. It's definitely something that becomes almost overwhelming," she said. Coercive control In respect of Stewart's recent appeal, Ms Bradford-Clarke said from her recollection, albeit as a young child, the description of "coercive control" did not fit the relationship between her father and Hazel Stewart."That is not my professional opinion, that is my personal opinion," she said. "I do not think that coercive control is a factor here, and I certainly do not think Hazel is a victim."There's many victims in this case. I find it quite distasteful that Hazel Stewart is being labelled a victim here. "What about my mum?" What happened to the victims? Both victims were found in a fume filled garage in Castlerock, County Londonderry in May 1991. Almost two decades later, Colin Howell confessed to the killings. Police originally believed the deaths were the result of a suicide pact after they discovered their partners were having an extra-marital they had been drugged and murdered before their bodies were arranged to make it look like they had taken their own also implicated his former lover in the plot and gave evidence against her at her trial. During the trial, the court heard Howell had planned and carried out the killings and Stewart had facilitated them by drugging her husband, allowing Howell into her house and disposing of a hose pipe used in the murder. 'No joy, no celebration' Speaking on Wednesday after Hazel Stewart's appeal was turned down, Lesley Howell's family, referring to their mother by her maiden name of Lesley Clarke, said they were relieved that this stage of the legal process was over, but there is "no joy and no celebration"."While this decision offers some reassurance, we recognise that there's no true end or closure."Nothing will bring our mum back," her children said.
The Independent
25-06-2025
- The Independent
Double killer Hazel Stewart fails in bid to have sentence reduced
Double murderer Hazel Stewart has been refused leave to appeal against the length of her sentence for killing her policeman husband and the wife of her ex-lover. A panel of judges at the Court of Appeal in Belfast ruled that the sentence imposed on Stewart, 62, a former Sunday school teacher, was 'neither wrong nor manifestly excessive'. Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan told the court that Stewart's latest attempted appeal would have caused 'stress and upset' to the families of those she killed. Stewart's lawyer described the ruling as disappointing, but said it 'doesn't end the quest to highlight that she was a victim of coercive control'. She is serving a minimum 18 years behind bars for the killing of Constable Trevor Buchanan, 32, and 31-year-old Lesley Howell, the wife of her former lover Colin Howell. Both were found in a fume-filled garage in Castlerock, Co Londonderry, in May 1991. Police originally believed they had died in a suicide pact, after discovering that their partners were having an extra-marital affair. Instead, they had been drugged and murdered and their bodies arranged to make it look as though they had taken their own lives. Nearly two decades passed before dentist Howell, 65, confessed to both killings. He implicated Stewart and she was ordered to serve at least 18 years, at her trial in 2011. Stewart launched her appeal against the length of her sentence on the basis of fresh psychiatric evidence that suggested she was suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder at the time of the murders and had been coercively controlled by Howell. Stewart, wearing a pale blue T-shirt and a cross necklace, watched the court of appeal ruling via a videolink from Hydebank Prison. Dame Siobhan said the fresh psychiatric evidence had been presented 'well after the event' and 'places reliance on prison records to contradict the case made by all other experts'. She said: 'Even if there were any traction in the points now made, which we do not find, the trial judge also made allowance for Howell's control in the sentence he passed. 'No injustice arises in refusing to reopen this long-concluded appeal on these facts.' The Lady Chief Justice added: 'We record this was a double murder of spouses in the cruellest of circumstances. 'Our overall view is that the sentence was neither wrong nor manifestly excessive. 'We refuse leave to admit the new evidence or to extend time as we are not convinced the new evidence establishes a valid ground of appeal. 'We are similarly not convinced that a fulsome enough explanation why this evidence was not produced earlier has been provided. 'In reaching our conclusion we reiterate the need for finality in criminal proceedings, we must deduce from this appeal that the applicant does not fully appreciate that. 'What must be self-evident is the stress and upset this latest appeal attempt will have caused to the families of the deceased.' Dame Siobhan said the original trial judge had been cited on the issue of Howell's control of Stewart and he altered her sentence accordingly. She concluded: 'We find no merit in any of the points raised on appeal.' Stewart's lawyer, Kevin Winters of KRW Law, said: 'Today's decision of the Court of Appeal to refuse leave is disappointing but in many ways not unexpected given the very high bar we had to reach to convince the court to look at this relatively new issue after so many years.' He added: 'Today's ruling doesn't end the quest for Hazel Stewart to highlight that she was a victim of coercive control. 'She engaged with the criminal justice agencies in an open and transparent manner to present as a victim of criminality. 'She made her case to a specialist abuse unit of the PSNI to allege that she was drugged, sexually and mentally abused and raped by Colin Howell. 'For that she is to be commended in taking the decision to come forward. It wasn't taken lightly.' Mr Winters said: 'It shouldn't be lost on any one that Hazel Stewart has the full backing and support of her family which includes Trevor Buchanan's two children. 'That support has been with her ever since her conviction for her role in the double killing of her husband and Colin Howell's wife over 20 years ago. 'That support has been here as well throughout the criminal investigation against Colin Howell and right up until today's appeal ruling.'
Irish Times
25-06-2025
- Irish Times
Belfast court rejects double murderer Hazel Stewart's bid to have sentence reduced
Double murderer Hazel Stewart has been refused leave to appeal against the length of her sentence for killing her husband and the wife of her ex-lover in 1991. A panel of judges at the Court of Appeal in Belfast ruled that the sentence imposed on Stewart (62), a former Sunday school teacher, was 'neither wrong nor manifestly excessive'. Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan told the court that Stewart's latest attempted appeal would have caused 'stress and upset' to the families of those she killed. She is serving a minimum 18 years behind bars for the killing of police constable Trevor Buchanan (32) and Lesley Howell (31), the wife of her former lover Colin Howell. READ MORE Both were found in a fume-filled garage in Castlerock, Co Derry, in May 1991. Police originally believed they had died in a suicide pact, after discovering their partners were having an extramarital affair. Instead, they had been drugged and murdered and their bodies arranged to make it look as though they had taken their own lives. Nearly two decades passed before dentist Howell (65) confessed to both killings. He implicated Stewart and she was ordered to serve at least 18 years, at her trial in 2011. Stewart launched her appeal against the length of her sentence on the basis of fresh psychiatric evidence that suggested she was suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder at the time of the murders and had been coercively controlled by Howell. Stewart, watched the court of appeal ruling via a video-link from Hydebank Prison. The judge said the fresh psychiatric evidence had been presented 'well after the event' and 'places reliance on prison records to contradict the case made by all other experts'. She said: 'Even if there were any traction in the points now made, which we do not find, the trial judge also made allowance for Howell's control in the sentence he passed. 'No injustice arises in refusing to reopen this long-concluded appeal on these facts.' She added: 'We record this was a double murder of spouses in the cruellest of circumstances. 'Our overall view is that the sentence was neither wrong nor manifestly excessive. 'We refuse leave to admit the new evidence or to extend time as we are not convinced the new evidence establishes a valid ground of appeal.' – PA
BBC News
25-06-2025
- BBC News
Hazel Stewart: Double murderer will not be allowed to appeal sentence
Double murderer Hazel Stewart has failed in a legal bid to secure a reduced jail sentence for murdering her policeman husband and the wife of her 62-year-old mounted a fresh challenge based on claims she was under the coercive control of Colin Howell, who was also convicted of the Court of Appeal in Belfast denied Stewart permission to introduce new medical evidence to support her case that she had been suffering from a mental Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan ruled her minimum 18-year jail term was neither wrong nor manifestly excessive. "No injustice arises in refusing to reopen this long-concluded appeal on these facts." Dame Siobhan said."This was a double murder of spouses in the cruellest of circumstances."Stewart is in prison for murdering her husband Trevor Buchanan, 32, and Howell's 31-year-old wife Lesley Howell in Kelly KC, acting on her behalf, had told the court new evidence had come to light from a psychiatrist who believed Stewart had been suffering from depression and PTSD at the time of the murders of Mr Buchanan and Mrs argued that at the time of Stewart's sentencing in 2011 the issue of coercive control was not fully understood, in particular in the context of mental suggested had it been understood at the time of Stewart's sentencing, the new evidence would have been Philip Henry KC, on behalf of the Public Prosecution Service, insisted there was no jurisdiction for the court to hear the case because Stewart previously abandoned her also repeatedly questioned the strength of the new diagnosis, obtained more than 30 years after the reports from other psychiatrists who examined Stewart at earlier stages raised no concerns about mental illness at the time of the killings. What happened to the victims? Both victims were found in a fume-filled garage in Castlerock, Co originally believed the deaths were the result of a suicide pact after they discovered their partners were having an extra-marital they had been drugged and murdered before their bodies were arranged to make it look like they had taken their own took nearly two decades for the truth to emerge when Howell suddenly confessed to both was subsequently sentenced to a minimum of 21 years in also implicated his former lover in the plot and gave evidence against her at her the trial, the court heard Howell had planned and carried out the killings and Stewart had facilitated them by drugging her husband, allowing Howell into her house and disposing of a hose pipe used in the March 2011 Stewart was unanimously convicted of both killings by a jury at Coleraine Crown Court.
