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Teacher Hazel Stewart's appeal against murder conviction refused Teacher Hazel Stewart's appeal against murder conviction refused
(35 minutes later)
A Sunday schoolteacher convicted of murdering her husband and her ex-lover's wife in Northern Ireland has been refused an appeal. A Sunday school teacher in Northern Ireland who was convicted of murdering her husband and her ex-lover's wife has been refused an appeal.
Hazel Stewart was jailed for a minimum of 18 years in 2011 for the murder of her husband, police officer Trevor Buchanan, and her ex-lover's wife, Lesley Howell. She committed the double murder with her then boyfriend, Colin Howell. Hazel Stewart, 49, was jailed in 2011 along with her ex-boyfriend Colin Howell for the murders of Trevor Buchanan and Lesley Howell in 1991.
Stewart and Howell originally convinced the Royal Ulster Constabulary they had died in a suicide pact after their bodies were found in a fume-filled car in Castlerock, County Derry. The pair originally convinced the Royal Ulster Constabulary that their victims died in a suicide pact, after the bodies were found in a fume-filled car in Castlerock, County Derry.
The couple were only exposed after Howell walked into a police station and confessed to the killings in 2010, naming his lover as his accomplice in the murder plot. Howell gave evidence in court against his former lover and is serving a 21-year jail sentence. In 2010 Howell walked into a police station and confessed to the killings, naming Stewart as his accomplice. Howell gave evidence in court against his former lover and is serving a 21-year jail sentence. Stewart was sentenced to a minimum of 18 years.
On Monday, the court of appeal in Belfast heard that on the basis of admissions made during police interviews, an appeal by Stewart against the murder of her husband was not sustainable. On Monday the court of appeal in Belfast refused Stewart's appeal against her conviction for Lesley Howell's murder. She dropped her appeal over her husband's murder before the start of the hearing.
During the original trial the court heard Howell had planned and carried out the killings and Stewart had facilitated them. During the original trial the court heard that Howell had planned and carried out the killings and Stewart had facilitated them. She drugged her husband, allowed Howell into her house and disposed of a hosepipe used by Howell to gas Buchanan.
She drugged her husband, allowed Howell into her house and disposed of a hosepipe used by Howell to gas Buchanan the night he was murdered. Stewartunderwent psychiatric examinations and psychological assessments as part of her attempt to overturn her conviction.
Stewart, 49, has undergone psychiatric examinations and psychological assessments as part of her attempt to overturn her conviction.