Helen Bailey murder: Accused fiance was will beneficiary

The man accused of murdering children's author Helen Bailey stood to inherit the bulk of her multimillion-pound fortune on her death, a court heard.

The 51-year-old's body was found in a cesspit at the home she shared with fiance Ian Stewart in Royston, Hertfordshire, in July.

Mr Stewart, 56, denies her murder.

Ms Bailey had made him the primary beneficiary of her will. She was worth more than £3.3m at the time of her death, St Albans Crown Court heard.

Mr Stewart reported Ms Bailey missing three days after she was last seen alive on 11 April.

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The Northumberland-born writer of the Electra Brown series was found beneath the garage of her home three months later, together with the body of her dog.

The prosecution alleges Mr Stewart murdered Ms Bailey for her money.

The court heard she changed her will in July 2014 to ensure Mr Stewart would have a "very comfortable" lifestyle.

Solicitor Amanda King-Jones, who helped prepare Ms Bailey's will, told the court: "She told me the reason for reviewing or updating her will was firstly because her current will was out of date and secondly that there was no provision being made for Ian Stewart."

As well as inheriting the bulk of her estate, Ms Bailey's death left Mr Stewart as the only beneficiary of about £235,000 in pensions, and he could have received £1.28m in life insurance, intended to cover inheritance tax.

However, Simon Russell Flint, defending Mr Stewart, pointed out that as Ms Bailey died before the couple married, Mr Stewart would have had to pay 40% of any money that he inherited over the amount of £325,000.

If she had died after they had married, he could have inherited everything inheritance tax-free, said Mr Flint.

That could have saved his about £1m in tax, the court was told.

Mr Stewart denies murder, preventing a lawful burial, fraud and three counts of perverting the course of justice.

The trial continues.