Widower seeking a return to witness box

The widower of honeymooner Michaela McAreavey could return to the witness box to change evidence he gave to the trial of two men accused of her murder.

The prosecution is considering whether to officially ask the court in Mauritius whether John McAreavey can be recalled after he indicated he had made an error on the stand.

But lawyers for the two men on trial for murdering his 27-year-old bride at the luxury Legends Hotel on the island have made clear they would object to such a move.

The daughter of Tyrone gaelic football boss Mickey Harte was found strangled in her room in January last year.

The prosecution claims she was murdered by Legends workers Sandip Moneea and Avinash Treebhoowoon when she returned to the room to fetch some biscuits and found them stealing.

On the 13th day of the high-profile trial in the Supreme Court in Port Louis, a fellow employee broke down on the stand after claiming police forced him to sign a witness statement.

But Govinden Samynaden was then accused by the prosecution of lying to the court about the whereabouts of his long-standing colleague Moneea at the time of the murder.

The jury also heard from the head of security at Legends, who said the key card that opened room 1025 shortly before Mrs McAreavey is said to have gone in was a “dummy” that had not been officially authorised.