The Co Derry dentist who confessed to murdering his former wife and his ex-lover's husband has told a court that the wife he killed was 'a bad mother'.
Colin Howell made the claims while giving evidence at the trial of his former mistress Hazel Stewart who is accused of the same killings. She denies the murder charges.
Howell said he once found Lesley Howell unconscious and lying in vomit when she should have been looking after their four children.
He is serving a life sentence for the double murders of Ms Howell and Ms Stewart's husband Trevor Buchanan in 1991.
Howell insisted he had not intended to discredit his late wife, but said the incident in which she collapsed drunk was quite regular in the months prior to the murders.
However, he said it had only started after she discovered his infidelity with Ms Stewart.
Ms Stewart's lawyer insisted that money was the only reason Howell murdered his wife.
The dentist benefited to the tune of £414,000 through her will, life insurance, a hefty endowment payout and money from her late father's estate, Paul Ramsey QC claimed as he cross-examined the double killer.
'Your murderous intent toward your wife was all about the money,' he declared to Howell as he sat in the witness box.
Mr Ramsey also claimed: 'All your financial problems were resolved with the death of your wife.'
But the dentist denied the suggestion and claimed he received only £212,000 as a result of his wife's death.
Ms Stewart's lawyers reject the father-of-11's claim that she plotted with him to kill his wife and her husband so they could be together.
The case continues.
