EDITOR'S CHOICE LATEST NEWS Clacton: Walliams stalker sentence delay Colchester: Waterfront building gutted by blaze North Essex: Black magic in churchyard? A selection of our top news stories. COLCHESTER UNITED NEWS Jamie wants away from U's Holohan: U's can bounce back Latest news from Colchester United. The best of what's on in Colchester, with Gazette ents reporter Neil Jones. FEATURES Stroke victim: 'I felt so isolated, I could not read' GET OUR NEWS BY E-MAIL Just register

Most read Comments 1 Colchester: Waterfront building gutted by blaze 2 North Essex: Black magic in churchyard? 3 Colchester: shop centre plans put back 4 Jamie wants away from U's 5 Clacton: Walliams stalker sentence delay 6 Essex through to Lord's final 7 North Essex: Roy relishes role as wedding belle 8 Clacton: You've bin penalised 9 North Essex: volunteer honour goes to Sylvia 10 Napier misses out on Champions Trophy squad Today | 7 Days 1 North Essex: Strood driver saved 2 Clacton: More police to reclaim streets from drunken yobs 3 Colchester: mum's fears over bus to school 4 Essex: Health boss apologises after data stolen 5 Clacton: You've bin penalised 6 Colchester: shop centre plans put back 7 Colchester: Two council bosses say goodbye 8 North Essex: Black magic in churchyard? 9 Holohan joins the Hammers 10 Colchester: Margaret able to call on wardens

The jury has been sent out to deliberate in the trial over the murder of Helen Maughan.

The Honourable Mr Justice Bean spoke for just three minutes this morning at Chelmsford Crown Court, before sending the six men and six women out to consider their verdict.

He reminded jurors that they must consider the evidence for each of the juvenile defendants individually.

The judge told them that they have three options for each of the teenagers; guilty of murder; guilty of manslaughter; or not guilty.

The body of Helen Maughan, 24, was found in the River Colne, behind the Quilters bar in Colchester, on the morning of Sunday May 20.

The mother-of-two, of Propelair Way, Colchester, had last been seen drinking in the town on the evening of Friday May 18 and the early hours of Saturday May 19.

She had been beaten up and sexually assaulted before her body was dumped in the river.

Both teenagers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have continually denied murdering her, each blaming the other.

At 10.20am the jury left to consider their verdicts.

10:28am Monday 19th May 2008

Print

Email this