A man accused of murdering his wife and his former lover’s husband is to face new police questioning, a magistrate said today.
Dr Colin Howell (50), a dentist from Castlerock, Co Derry is to be interviewed about “other matters”, north Antrim Magistrates Court in Coleraine, heard.
Mr Howell, who is also charged with drugging and indecently assaulting a number of women, is in custody charged with the murders of his wife Lesley, 30, and Pc Trevor Buchanan. Their bodies were found in a car filled with carbon monoxide fumes in Castlerock in May
He appeared in court by video link from Maghaberry Prison, near Lisburn, Co Antrim, where he is being held on remand.
Mr Howell's next hearing is due on April 26th, but today District Judge Brian Archer said he would have to appear in person after saying that before that, police wanted to interview him about “other matters”.
His ex-lover, Mrs Hazel Stewart (45) from Coleraine, who is also charged with the double murders, - Pc Buchanan was her first husband - was back in court today.
She had been granted bail when she and her co-accused were first charged with the two murders two months ago after police reopened their investigation into the deaths. Mrs Stewart is due back in court again on May 18th.
It was first thought Mrs Howell and Pc Buchanan had died as a result of a suicide pact.
Mr Howell is also facing a series of charges of indecently assaulting women as well as administering overpowering or stupefying drugs with intent to commit indecent assaults on separate dates over a 10-year period between March 1998 and December 2008.
PA