Mr Hugh Alexander Lindsay (54), Corcrain Drive, Portadown, Co Armagh, pleaded not guilty at the High Court in Craigavon yesterday to murdering Ms Eileen Moore (42), mother of two sons, between April 26th and May 4th 1996.
In his opening statement Mr Ronald Appleton, Crown counsel, said Mr Lindsay was separated from his wife. Ms Moore had lived with her two sons at Newtownabbey. Counsel said she was separated and was getting a divorce. She and Mr Lindsay had been keeping company for about two months. Mr Lindsay had wanted to marry her but she had not committed herself.
Counsel said that on April 26th last year, Mr Lindsay collected Ms Moore and brought her to Portadown, where he beat her about the face and head, strangled her and suffocated her until she was dead.
He told the jury that Mr Lindsay used nine bin bags to wrap the body and then drove to Narrow Water outside Warrenpoint, where he deposited her body. On May 3rd it was discovered by a man out walking. The body was near the shoreline but appeared not to have been in the water.
Counsel said the police had reported Ms Moore as missing, and when her sister phoned Mr Lindsay to ask where she was, he said he had left her at the back of the City Hall in Belfast.
Counsel said the Crown had "conclusive evidence" that Mr Lindsay killed Ms Moore.
Her body was lying face down above the water level but it had not been in the water. It was clothed except for the shoes, which he said, were never found.
The case is expected to last for about three weeks.