THE appeal of an 18-year sentence handed down to Hazel Stewart for murdering her husband and then-lover’s wife will be heard early next year, a court has ruled.
Stewart, a former Sunday school teacher, was convicted after the man she had an affair with confessed to police his guilt in the two murders, and spoke of Hazel’s part in them.
Trevor Buchanan, Hazel’s husband, and Lesley Howell, the ex-dentist’s wife, were killed in County Londonderry in 1991.
Stewart was jailed last year but it was ruled on Friday that an appeal would take place in January.
The 49-year-old has undergone psychiatric examinations and psychological assessments as part of her attempt to overturn her conviction.
The medical experts’ findings have been submitted to defence lawyers and were discussed with Stewart at the jail.
The Court of Appeal in Belfast heard Barrister Mark Reel speak of Hazel’s reaction to the reports: “We have received the reports and we have consulted with the appellant in relation to them.
“The appellant has raised some factual matters in relation to the reports which the appellant feels are important and need to be clarified and resolved.”
Stewart’s legal team are still considering whether to seek to have fresh evidence admitted in their challenge.
After being updated on Friday, Northern Ireland’s most senior judge, Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan, said a date for hearing the appeal should be fixed.
He was told by Mr Reel that the case should last “about a day”.
Sir Declan said the case would be listed for January 21.
Stewart’s lawyers were given another month to decide whether to seek to bring in new evidence.
It was originally thought both Mr Buchanan and Mrs Howell had committed suicide but when Colin Howell confessed a fresh investigation into the deaths was launched and both he and Hazel were later convicted of the murders.