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| Helen Bailey: Author 'drugged and suffocated' | Helen Bailey: Author 'drugged and suffocated' |
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| Children's author Helen Bailey was secretly drugged by her partner for a number of months before he suffocated her and buried her body in a cesspit, a court has heard. | Children's author Helen Bailey was secretly drugged by her partner for a number of months before he suffocated her and buried her body in a cesspit, a court has heard. |
| The 51-year-old's body was found in the grounds of her home in Royston, Hertfordshire, in July. She had been missing since 11 April. | The 51-year-old's body was found in the grounds of her home in Royston, Hertfordshire, in July. She had been missing since 11 April. |
| Her partner Ian Stewart, 56, denies murder. | |
| They were engaged and were planning a wedding to take place "imminently". | |
| St Albans Crown Court heard the couple had met online following the death of Ms Bailey's husband, John Sinfield in 2011, and moved in together a year after they met, buying the house in Royston for around £1.5m. | |
| More on this and other news from Hertfordshire | |
| Prosecutors told the jury they had made arrangements for Mr Stewart to obtain the house and "substantial financial advantage" in the event of Ms Bailey's death before the wedding. | |
| Stuart Trimmer QC, prosecuting, said Mr Stewart had been giving Ms Bailey sleeping pills for several months before killing her on 11 April 2016. | |
| He "killed her, probably by suffocation whilst she was sedated by the drugs he administered", Mr Trimmer said. | |
| A drug used to treat insomnia, Zoplicone, was found in her system, which had been prescribed to Mr Stewart, the court was told. | |
| The trial continues. |