John McAreavey arrives to give evidence in Mauritius

Crowds packed into a court in Mauritius this morning as the widower of honeymooner Michaela McAreavey arrived to testify in the trial of two hotel workers accused of her murder.

John McAreavey is appearing as a prosecution witness in the high profile case at the Supreme Court in the island’s capital Port Louis.

The daughter of Tyrone football boss Mickey Harte was found strangled in her room at the luxury Legends Hotel last January, just two weeks after her wedding back in the North.

The prosecution claim hotel employees Sandip Moneea and Avinash Treebhoowoon murdered the 27-year-old teacher when she returned to the room at the exclusive beachside complex and caught them stealing.

Wearing a grey suit and white shirt, Mr McAreavey sat in the front row of the court as proceedings were delayed for a period.

The accountant from Co Down flew back to Mauritius ahead of the start of the trial last month but had been unable to be present at proceedings until he was called as a witness.

His sister Claire, father Brendan and brother-in-law Mark Harte sat beside him in the front row of the public gallery.

Dozens stood in the aisles of the public gallery of courtroom five to watch him give evidence.

Despite efforts to manage Mr McAreavey’s arrival at court better than the first day of the trial, when he was jostled by crowds, there was again some unruly behaviour as local press photographers tried to break out of a security cordon.

Former Legends room attendant Treebhoowoon, 31, from Plaine des Roches, and floor supervisor Moneea, 42, from Petit Raffray, deny murdering the Irish language and religious education teacher from Ballygawley, Co Tyrone.