Two Convicted Of Honeymoon Murders

Two Convicted Of Honeymoon Murders In Antigua

PRESS ASSOCIATION -- Two men have been convicted of murdering British honeymoon couple Ben and Catherine Mullany on the holiday island of Antigua.

Kaniel Martin, 23, and Avie Howell, 20, shot the Mullanys in their chalet in 2008.

The pair, who refused to face questioning in court, had protested their innocence throughout their two-month long trial, which saw more than 90 witnesses give evidence. But the men were found guilty by a jury in Antigua's High Court in St John's.

Mr and Mrs Mullany were both shot in the back of the head during a dawn raid at their luxury hotel chalet on the holiday island in 2008. Mr Mullany, a student physiotherapist, and Mrs Mullany, a doctor, who were staying in the five-star Cocos Hotel, had only been married just over two weeks.

Mrs Mullany died instantly. Mr Mullany was flown back home to south Wales in a desperate attempt to save his life. But despite the efforts of his wife's medical colleagues in Swansea his life-support was turned off a week after he had been shot.

Two weeks after killing the newlyweds, Howell and Martin then went on to murder 43-year-old shopkeeper Woneta Anderson.

Mr and Mrs Mullany's parents broke down in tears as the jury of eight men and four delivered its verdicts - following an anxious 10 hour and 20 minute wait.

The family said it would never be able to comprehend the nature of the couple's deaths. A statement said: "There is no joy at today's verdict, just a sense of relief that after three years of waiting there is justice for our children, and for Woneta Anderson and her family. These two individuals can never again inflict the same anguish and devastation to any other family as they have to ours."

Prosecutor Antony Armstrong described the evidence against the pair as compelling. While the murder weapon has not been found, forensic tests later showed the bullets in all three killings came from the same gun.

As the verdict was read aloud in Antigua's High Court, Howell and Martin - dressed in jeans and shirts - showed no signs of emotion. They will be sentenced on September 26 and could face the death penalty.

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