Mersea murder defendant accused of lying as trial continues

Luke D’Wit is accused of poisoning Stephen Baxter, 61, and his 64-year-old wife Carol and rewriting their will to make him a director of their shower mat firm Cazsplash.

D’Wit, 34, of West Mersea, denies the murders of Mr and Mrs Baxter and is on trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.

On Wednesday the prosecution finished their cross examination of D'Wit who first took to the stand on Monday. 

Tracy Ayling KC, prosecuting, questioned D'Wit about fentanyl found at his address, which he stated belonged to his late father. 

He said: “We kept on finding more and more of his medication.” 

When asked how four of the fentanyl patches, which shared the same batch number as those which were found at D’Wit’s home, were located at the Baxter’s home he told the court he did not know. 

The court was presented with a number of letters to Stephen, Carol, and their daughter Ellena, which were also found at D’Wit's address, including a letter from the DVLA addressed to Mr Baxter. 

As Mrs Ayling KC, finished the prosecution’s cross-examination, she said: “Mr D’Wit you have no answer to any of the questions you have been asked. 

“You killed Carol and Stephen Baxter using fentanyl and promethazine. 

“You lied your way through from the beginning to the end.” 

The defence continued its case by asking whether D’Wit would accept that Stephen and Carol were known as a “happy couple”. 

But D'Wit said this was not the case.

He said: “Carol wanted a different lifestyle with big holidays, spending money and enjoying life. Stephen wanted to work, to retain money, the opposite of Carol.” 

The court heard the couple was planning to sell their house and move into a bungalow due to Mrs Baxter’s hip issues. 

According to D’Wit, the couple went to see a bungalow on the opposite side of Mersea Island, which Carol described as “hobbit house” which was “far too small for anyone to live in”. 

The trial continues.