A hotel worker who claims he was phoning his sister when Michaela McAreavey was killed actually called her to ask advice after committing the murder, a prosecutor has alleged.

A hotel worker accused of murdering Michaela McAreavey has been branded a serial liar who has invented stories to support his alibi — even as he insisted he had never met her.

It was one of the few times spaces appeared on the usually packed wooden benches at the back of Courtroom 5.

A hotel worker accused of murdering Michaela McAreavey in Mauritius has been branded a serial liar who has invented stories to support his alibi.

The clock showed it was nearing 25 minutes since anyone else had spoken.

The prosecution has closed its case against two men accused of murdering Michaela McAreavey after the defendants and jurors visited the Mauritian hotel where the honeymooner was found dead.

Crowds gathered early yesterday outside the Supreme Court in Mauritius intent on seeing for themselves what the much rumoured CCTV footage from Legends Hotel portrayed.

The trial of the two hotel workers accused of murdering Michaela McAreavey descended into near farce as a lawyer dramatically withdrew from the case and signalled his intent to appear as a witness.

The trial of two hotel workers accused of murdering Michaela McAreavey has been rocked after a lawyer dramatically withdrew from the case and signalled his intent to appear as a witness.

After six testing days in court it was the first marked sign of frustration from Michaela McAreavey's loved ones.

A policeman who arrested one of the men accused of murdering Michaela McAreavey has been warned by the judge after failing to answer a question on how the suspect was dealt with.

A policeman who arrested one of the men accused of murdering Michaela McAreavey has been warned by the judge after failing to answer a question on how the suspect was dealt with.

A policeman remained silent when asked what he did with one of the men accused of murdering Michaela McAreavey the morning after the crime.

The angry exchanges on the fourth day of the trial of two men for the murder of Michaela McAreavey developed after police Sergeant Govinder Ramasawmy told the court that he gave a “sex guide” manual to husband John three days after his wife was killed, along with 12 other possessions from their room in the luxury hotel.

Attempts to explore the private lives of murdered honeymooner Michaela McAreavey and her husband provoked fierce clashes today at the trial of two men accused of the crime.

Lawyers clashed this morning at the trial of two men accused of murdering Michaela McAreavey after defence counsel attempted to delve into the private lives of her and her husband.

Police catastrophically failed to take crime scene photos that may have helped in the Michaela McAreavey murder investigation, a trial heard.

Jurors in the trial of two men accused of murdering the daughter of Tyrone gaelic football boss Mickey Harte were told to cut themselves off from the outside world as they prepare to hear from the first witness.