A MURDER suspect tried to make a 61-year-old “very unwell indeed” by concealing a tack inside her medication more than a year before she was found poisoned, a court has heard.

Luke D’Wit, who denies murdering Carol and Stephen Baxter, was cross-examined on Tuesday by prosecution barrister, Tracy Ayling KC.

The Baxters were found with lethal levels of fentanyl in their systems on Easter Sunday last year - D’Wit, 34, is accused of poisoning them.

Mrs Ayling KC said that D’Wit “attempted to make Carol Baxter very unwell indeed” in February 2022 by hiding a tack inside her medication.

Gazette: Scene - police arrived on Victory Road, West Mersea, to find the Baxters dead in April last yearScene - police arrived on Victory Road, West Mersea, to find the Baxters dead in April last year (Image: Essex Police)

Mrs Baxter had complained of stomach pains the same month, and went to hospital where a scan showed a tack had been lying inside her stomach.

It was argued D’Wit was responsible for this, with Mrs Ayling KC telling the court how a black bag – which contained empty pills and tacks – was found inside the defendant’s room after he was arrested by police in July last year.

Mrs Ayling KC said: “You attempted to make Carol Baxter very unwell indeed; you attempted to put a tack inside her inside [one of her tablets].”

D’Wit denied any involvement.

Mrs Ayling KC said: “We can see in that bag there are tacks and open plastic tablets – what are those doing in the bag at the end of your bed?”

D’Wit replied: “I collected that bag from Cazsplash, from the office area [in the warehouse] after Carol and Steve had passed away.”

The prosecution then asked D’Wit about the empty capsules.

Mrs Ayling KC said: “You rather specialise in opening up tablets and filling them up.

Gazette: Questioned - D'Wit was questioned by police after his arrest in July last yearQuestioned - D'Wit was questioned by police after his arrest in July last year (Image: Essex Police)

“Why have you got those there [inside the bag]?”

D’Wit replied he struggled to take tablets, saying: “I’ve never managed to quite swallow capsules, so I would open them and mix them into my drink before bed, or something.”

Mrs Ayling continued: “The reason why the black bag is at the end of your bed is because it’s yours – it’s not a Cazsplash bag.

“It’s a bag containing the tacks and open tablets you used to put a tack inside Carol.”

D’Wit replied: “No.”

The trial continues.