The daughter of Lesley Howell has said she has made initial inquiries about possibly meeting her mother's killer to discuss her role in the murder. It comes asHazel Stewart failed in a legal bidto secure a reduced jail sentence for the double murders of her husband Trevor Buchanan, 32, and 31-year-old Lesley Howell, who was the wife of her former lover Colin Howell. Stewart is currently serving an 18-year term for the 1991 murders. The 62-year-old's fresh legal challenge was made on the basis that she was under the coercive control of Lesley's husband, Colin Howell, who is serving a 21-year sentence in HMP Maghaberry for the murders. Lauren Bradford-Clarke told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme she has "reached out" and made "early inquiries" about restorative justice. "It's a very, very complicated thing. It would require me to really kind of drag a lot of stuff up," she said. "Being able to move forward, I think it would be quite a long process," she added. Now an assistant professor in criminology, Ms Bradford-Clarke said she uses her "professional head" in order to deal with the trauma. "Following my mummy's murder, there were five years where Hazel Stewart was very much part of my life, and I very much remember her and remember the time that we had with her," she said. "It's very sad in a lot of ways, I saw her as a mummy. I had lost my mum, and I wanted nothing more than to have a mum." Ms Bradford-Clarke said returning to the court is "very difficult" and "re-traumatising". "I lose sleep, I get very, very upset and emotional. It's definitely something that becomes almost overwhelming," she said. In respect of Stewart's recent appeal, Ms Bradford-Clarke said from her recollection, albeit as a young child, the description of "coercive control" did not fit the relationship between her father and Hazel Stewart. "That is not my professional opinion, that is my personal opinion," she said. "I do not think that coercive control is a factor here, and I certainly do not think Hazel is a victim. "There's many victims in this case. I find it quite distasteful that Hazel Stewart is being labelled a victim here. "What about my mum?" Both victims were found in a fume filled garage in Castlerock, County Londonderry in May 1991. Almost two decades later, Colin Howell confessed to the killings. Police originally believed the deaths were the result of a suicide pact after they discovered their partners were having an extra-marital affair. Instead, they had been drugged and murdered before their bodies were arranged to make it look like they had taken their own lives. Howell also implicated his former lover in the plot and gave evidence against her at her trial. During the trial, the court heard Howell had planned and carried out the killings and Stewart had facilitated them by drugging her husband, allowing Howell into her house and disposing of a hose pipe used in the murder. Speaking on Wednesday after Hazel Stewart's appeal was turned down, Lesley Howell's family, referring to their mother by her maiden name of Lesley Clarke, said they were relieved that this stage of the legal process was over, but there is "no joy and no celebration". "While this decision offers some reassurance, we recognise that there's no true end or closure. "Nothing will bring our mum back," her children said.
Daughter considering meeting mother's killer, Hazel Stewart
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"Daughter of Murder Victim Considers Meeting Convicted Killer Hazel Stewart"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
Lauren Bradford-Clarke, the daughter of murder victim Lesley Howell, has expressed interest in potentially meeting Hazel Stewart, who was convicted for the double murders of her mother and Stewart's husband. Stewart, currently serving an 18-year sentence for the 1991 killings, recently attempted to have her sentence reduced by claiming she was under the coercive control of Colin Howell, Lesley’s husband and the other perpetrator, who is serving a 21-year sentence. Despite her legal challenges, Bradford-Clarke has made initial inquiries about restorative justice, showing a desire to confront Stewart about her role in the tragic events. She acknowledges that this process would be complex and emotionally taxing, as it would require revisiting traumatic memories from her past. Bradford-Clarke, now an assistant professor in criminology, has been processing her trauma while also reflecting on her memories of Stewart, who she recalls as being a significant figure in her life during a period of profound loss.
In her reflections, Bradford-Clarke has expressed skepticism about Stewart's claims of being a victim of coercive control, suggesting that her personal experiences contradict that narrative. She emphasizes that the real victims in this case are her mother and the family left behind, and she finds it troubling that Stewart is portrayed as a victim in any context. The tragic circumstances of the murders, which initially were misinterpreted as a suicide pact, involved drugging and arranging the victims' bodies to mislead investigators. The Howell family has also responded to Stewart's failed appeal, expressing relief but no sense of joy or closure, acknowledging the ongoing pain of their loss. They emphasized that no legal decision can bring their mother back, highlighting the enduring impact of this case on their lives.
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