The lawyer and legal representatives of dentist Colin Howell and his ex-lover Hazel Stewart were warned by a judge today that there could be no further delays to the start of their double murder trial.
The trial is due to begin on November 22nd, but the pair, who are accused of killing their respective partners in May 1991, have still to undergo further psychiatric tests.
Ms Stewart (47), a mother of two from Ballystrone Road, Coleraine, Co Derry, is to be examined next Wednesday by Dr Gill Mezey, a London-based forensic psychiatrist, her solicitor Stephen Ewing told Belfast Crown Court.
Mr Justice Hart heard that her report should be ready no later than November 8th, the same day that Mr Howell (51), Glebe Road, Castlerock, Co Derry, is to be examined by Prof Nigel Eastman.
The psychiatrist, also from London, is planning to spend a full day with the dentist at Maghaberry Prison, near Lisburn, Co Antrim, according Adrian Harvey, Mr Howell's solicitor. His report should be ready on November 12th.
Mr Howell, a father of 10, has been in custody at the jail since his arrest in January last year. He has already been examined by psychiatrists Dr Philip Joseph and Dr Helen Harbinson whose report the court heard, runs to more than 50 pages.
Once the new reports are ready, they will be studied by Fred Brown, a psychiatrist, acting on behalf of the Public Prosecution Service. Crown lawyer Neil Connor said there could be some element of delay.
But at today's case review hearing, Judge Hart said he was not prepared to accept any further hold-ups. Mr Howell and Ms Stewart were committed last April.
He said: "This case has already been put back and I do not intend to put it back any further. Everyone will have to work to the timetable the court has set."
Judge Hart added: "The prosecution know the date of the trial and have to get on with it. The prosecution has to be ready to work inside the timetable."
The case had originally been scheduled to go before a jury on November 1st, possibly in Coleraine, but had to be delayed until the additional psychiatric reports were compiled.
The judge, who is to review progress again on November 5th, also heard a number of applications would be made in respect of business documents belonging to Mr Howell which the Crown was seeking to produce as evidence in the case.
Mr Howell and Ms Stewart have been accused of murdering the dentist's wife Lesley (31) an ex-nurse and Ms Stewart's first husband, RUC scenes-of-crime officer Trevor Buchanan (32) whose bodies were found in a car filled with exhaust fumes in Castlerock around lunchtime on Sunday May 19th, 1991.
At first police treated the deaths as some sort of suicide pact, but then launched a murder inquiry in January 2009 after questioning Mr Howell and Ms Stewart.
Both of them had re-married by that stage, Mr Howell to an American, Kyle, who is now seeking a divorce after returning to the United States with their five children, and Ms Stewart to former police chief supt David Stewart.
The bodies were discovered in a garage by members of Coleraine Baptist Church in a garage behind a row of houses known as The Apostles, Castlerock where Mrs Howell's father, retired businessman Harry Clarke had lived at number six.
He collapsed and died at Mr Howell's then home at Knocklayde Park, Coleraine, just days earlier. The dentist was also questioned by detectives about his death.
Mr Howell is also facing indecent assault charges against six women at his dental implant surgery in Ballymoney, Co Antrim, on various dates over a 10-year period until the month before his arrest. He has admitted to charges against three of the patients, but denied accusations involving the other three.
PA