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| Leslie Ross to be charged with third Dromore murder | Leslie Ross to be charged with third Dromore murder |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A stonemason accused of murdering two former girlfriends will be prosecuted over the death of a third ex-partner. | A stonemason accused of murdering two former girlfriends will be prosecuted over the death of a third ex-partner. |
| Leslie Ross, 66, from Dromore, County Down, is to be charged with the murder of Lily McKee, a court has been told. | Leslie Ross, 66, from Dromore, County Down, is to be charged with the murder of Lily McKee, a court has been told. |
| Last year, he was charged with the murders of former partners Michelle Bickerstaff and Margaret Weise. | |
| At the time of the initial charges, police passed a file on the death of Ms McKee to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) for assessment. | At the time of the initial charges, police passed a file on the death of Ms McKee to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) for assessment. |
| At a court hearing in Newry, the PPS said they had decided to charge Mr Ross with the murder of Ms McKee, 52, in 2002. | At a court hearing in Newry, the PPS said they had decided to charge Mr Ross with the murder of Ms McKee, 52, in 2002. |
| A spokesperson for the PPS said: "Today [Thursday] in court the PPS advised the court that a decision had been taken to prosecute Leslie Ross for the three murders." | A spokesperson for the PPS said: "Today [Thursday] in court the PPS advised the court that a decision had been taken to prosecute Leslie Ross for the three murders." |
| Ms Bickerstaff, 47, was found dead in April 2012. She died in hospital after being found unconscious by her daughter in the house she shared in Dromore with Mr Ross. | Ms Bickerstaff, 47, was found dead in April 2012. She died in hospital after being found unconscious by her daughter in the house she shared in Dromore with Mr Ross. |
| Ms Weise, 50, was found dead in the town in August 2007. | Ms Weise, 50, was found dead in the town in August 2007. |
| Mr Ross's solicitor Conleth Downey said his client denied involvement in all three women's deaths. | Mr Ross's solicitor Conleth Downey said his client denied involvement in all three women's deaths. |
| Last year, Mr Ross was also charged with three other offences - indecent assault, gross indecency with a child and indecently assaulting a female child - all on dates between 1979 and 1990. | Last year, Mr Ross was also charged with three other offences - indecent assault, gross indecency with a child and indecently assaulting a female child - all on dates between 1979 and 1990. |
| On Thursday, prosecutors withdrew those counts "without prejudice". | On Thursday, prosecutors withdrew those counts "without prejudice". |
| It is understood they will now be pursued through separate court proceedings at a later date. | It is understood they will now be pursued through separate court proceedings at a later date. |