Keeping her counsel... Hazel won't take to the witness box

r Barrister tells murder trial he will not be presenting anyevidence in Stewart's defence r Judges warns accused that herdecision not to take the stand will be taken into account by thejury r Howell writes from prison to insist his account of themurders was 'accurate in essence' r Trial adjourned until Mondaywhen defence and prosecution will begin closing statements

DOUBLE murder accused Hazel Stewart will not give evidence in herown defence, her lawyer has said.

The jury at Coleraine Crown Court was told that the matter hadbeen discussed with Stewart but that she had decided not to take tothe witness box.

After the prosecution case against the 47-year-old mother-of-twoconcluded yesterday, Stewart's legal team told the court that theywill not be calling any evidence.

The former Sunday school teacher glanced towards the jury as herlawyer Paul Ramsey QC told Judge Mr Justice Anthony Hart that shewould not be taking the stand.

Mr Justice Hart asked Mr Ramsey was his client aware that herdecision not to give evidence would be taken into account by thejury of three women and nine men.

"The jury may draw such inference as would appear proper from herfailure to do so," he said.

Mr Ramsey said Stewart knew the situation.

Stewart denies murdering her husband Trevor Buchanan and herformer lover Colin Howell's wife Lesley in May 1991.

Howell is currently serving 21 years in prison after pleadingguilty last year to the two murders.

His victims' bodies were discovered in a car filled with exhaustfumes.

They died from carbon monoxide poisoning in what was originallybelieved to have been a suicide pact.

On Wednesday the court heard Stewart tell detectives during police interviews that she could have stopped the killings.

During the interviews, which were played to the court, she admitted that she had known about the murder plot, but had donenothing to stop it.

She told police that she was sorry and wanted to apologise to MrBuchanan's family, their two children Lisa and Andrew and to hersecond husband David Stewart.

"He (Howell) arranged it for that Saturday that he would comearound, and he did.

"I didn't want this to happen but he was there and he wanted todo this and I stood back," she told detectives.

In court yesterday, Crown lawyer Ciaran Murphy QC closed theprosecution case after briefly recalling Dr John Press, thepathologist who carried out post-mortem examinations on the twovictims, after their bodies were discovered almost 20 years ago.

Mr Murphy questioned the doctor about the fact that he had foundnothing in Mr Buchanan's stomach.

Howell had claimed that as part of their plan, Stewart hadadministered sedatives to her husband by crushing them up in a tunasandwich earlier on the evening of his murder.

She denied this allegation during police interview, claiming thather husband took the sedative himself because he had troublesleeping.

Dr Press told the court that there had been no food in the policeconstable's stomach when he carried out his examination.

Mr Murphy asked how long it took for food to leave the stomach.

"I'd say a couple of hours, even for large meals to havedisappeared. Even from half-an-hour, food will start to move," DrPress said.

The trial was adjourned until Monday when the prosecution anddefence will start delivering their closing statements.

Mr Justice Hart warned the jury not to discuss the case withanyone and to refrain from reading any media reports in newspapersor on the internet about the case.