A COURT ON the Caribbean island of Antigua has heard how a British couple on Honeymoon there three years ago were shot in the head in a botched robbery.

Welsh couple Ben and Catherine Mullany were staying in a chalet, part of the five-star Cocos Hotel resort, when armed robbers broke in. The newly-weds were both shot in the head. Catherine died at the scene while Ben was place on a life support and flown home to Swansea, where he later died.

The Telegraph reports that Antiguans Kaniel Martin, 23, and 19-year-old Avie Howell have gone on trial for the couple’s murder, and murder of a local shopkeeper. Wales Online reports that Woneta Anderson was shot in the head using the same weapon.

Martin and Howell have denied the murders. They have been detained at a prison on the island since three weeks after the murders. Antigua’s DPP has said that there is evidence that the pair were found in possession of the couple’s mobile phones shortly after the shootings. The Telegraph reports that there has been difficulty in choosing a jury for the trial, due to the small population of the island and the potential for one or more of the jurors to be acquainted with the accused, their families, or the witnesses. However a jury has now been sworn in.

Regional publication Caribarena Antigua says this trial has been long awaited and that it could run for two months. The opening day of the trial has already heard graphic accounts of the scene of the shooting of the Mullanys.