Helen Bailey murder trial: Author 'seen' after 'time of death'

A neighbour of children's author Helen Bailey has told a court she saw the writer walking her dog after the time she was allegedly murdered.

The woman said she drove past Ms Bailey between 15:40 and 15:50 BST on 11 April last year.

Ms Bailey's fiancé, Ian Stewart, is accused of killing her between 10:51, when her internet and phone activity stopped, and 14:30 on that day.

Mr Stewart, who is on trial at St Albans Crown Court, denies murder.

The Electra Brown author's body was found last July in a cesspit at the home she shared with Mr Stewart in Royston, Hertfordshire.

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He is accused of drugging her before suffocating her and throwing her in the pit.

Neighbour, Angela John, told the court she recognised Ms Bailey, but under cross-examination admitted she had never seen Ms Bailey wearing the clothes she described - stone or beige trousers and a shirt.

"She was walking with her head down and her hands going to her head, which made me look more carefully at whether it was Helen or not," Ms John said.

Asked again by Simon Russell Flint, defending, "what date and time did you last see Helen Bailey?", she replied: "April 11, 3.40pm to 3.50pm-ish."

Mr Russell Flint asked if she had "any doubts... about that", to which she replied "no".

The court also heard from another two neighbours of Ms Bailey who said they saw her walking her dog Boris between about 13:20 and 14:20 BST on 11 April.

Mr Stewart, 56, of Baldock Road, Royston, Hertfordshire, denies murder, preventing a lawful burial, fraud, and three counts of perverting the course of justice.

The trial continues.