Murder charge wife to face trial

A woman accused with her former fireman lover of murdering her husband will face a re-trial, it was announced tonight.

The Director of Public Prosecutions in Belfast said mother of triplets Lesley Gault, 35, from Lisburn, Co Antrim, must go before a jury a second time.

The first jury failed to agree a verdict after convicting her ex-lover Gordon Graham.

A spokesman for the DPP said tonight: “There will be a re-trial.”

Graham, from Wheatfield, Ballygowan, Co Down, is expected to be sentenced early next year after he was found guilty of bludgeoning his victim with a hockey stick.

Paul Gault, 34, was attempting a reconciliation with his wife when he was attacked at the family’s home at Hodley Ave, Lisburn in May 2000.

Graham was convicted by a jury of 10 men and two women at the end of a nine-week trial earlier this month when the Crown claimed the Mr Gault was murdered so that his wife and her lover to begin a new life together after a two-and-a-half year affair.

Mr Gault was beaten to death 18 days after discovering the relationship.