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Turkey double murder trial adjourned until 14 September

The trial of a father and son accused of killing two women from Newry, Co Down in Turkey has been adjourned until 14 September.

The bodies of Marion Graham and Cathy Dinsmore were found in Turkey last August.

Recep Cetin and his father Eyup have been charged with their murder.

Eyup Cetin appeared in court to face the charges, however an administrative error meant Recep was not called from prison for the hearing.

During the hearing Eyup Cetin was questioned by a four-judge panel as there are no jury trials in Turkey.

Mr Cetin, who denies the murder charge, was closely questioned about inconsistencies in his statements.

He had originally said he never met the two women but told the court today he knew one of them.

He was also asked about his son's age, as Recep Cetin claimed he was 17. Eyup Cetin told the court his son may have been older as the registration took place sometime after the birth.

Marion Graham's daughter Shannon told the court she never witnessed any violence between Recep and her mother. She said they got on very well and he called her mother 'mum'.

Ms Graham denied that Recep had proposed to her or that he had a plan to move to Ireland. She said he hoped they would live in Turkey but she, Shannon, was not happy with that.

Shannon said her mother told her their next holiday would not be in Turkey. Shannon told the court that Recep appeared okay with that.

After a question from the judges, Shannon said there was no emotional relationship between her mum and Eyup Cetin.

Shannon also told the court that Eyup Cetin had known Cathy Dinsmore for over a year, something he denied earlier this morning.

Cathy Dinsmore's brother George also gave evidence. He said he believed that someone else other than Recep Cetin was involved the murders.

Other members of the Graham and Dinsmore families are also in court today.

Ms Graham and Ms Dinsmore had been staying in the resort town of Kusadasi, along with Ms Graham's then 15-year-old daughter at the time of the murder.

For a year, Shannon had been in a relationship with Recep Cetin, a waiter, known locally as Alex.

When Shannon went on a boating trip with friends, Ms Graham and Ms Dinsmore went shopping with Recep Cetin to Izmir, 100km away.

When the women's bodies were discovered, Recep Cetin quickly became the prime suspect.

His father Eyup was later arrested.

An indictment revealed a so-far secret witness who claims to have seen Eyup Cetin at the crime scene while DNA evidence on a shoe also suggested that a member of the Cetin family was there.

However, defence lawyer for Mr Cetin has told the court there are contradictions in the testimony of the witness who claims they saw their client at the murder scene.

Recep Cetin has already told a preliminary hearing that he was responsible for the killings but claimed his father was not in any way involved.