Stonemason charged with murder of two ex-girlfriends

A stonemason has appeared in court in Northern Ireland charged with the murders of two former girlfriends.

Leslie Ross (66), Magenlis Park in Dromore, Co Down, was remanded in custody by a district judge in Armagh city.

He is accused of the murders of Michelle Bickerstaff (47) and Margaret Weise (50). He faces other charges including indecent assault and committing an act of gross indecency with a child.

Mr Ross confirmed he understood the charges against him.

Defence solicitor Conleth Downey told the court his client denied all the allegations and would be making an application for bail at a later date.

Mr Downey said: “During three days of questioning my client robustly and vehemently denied the charges.”

The solicitor also claimed his client’s home of 14 years had been attacked as a result of the high profile case.

PSNI Det Sgt Mark Gibson, who said he was closely involved with the case, told the hearing he believed he could connect the defendant to the charges.

He also confirmed Mr Ross had denied all allegations during three days of questioning at Antrim Serious Crime Suite and that his home in a housing development close to the centre of Dromore had been attacked. “That’s correct,” he replied to questions from the defence lawyer Mr Downey.

Although there was no application for bail, Mr Ross was informed that had one been submitted it would have been refused.

Deputy District Judge Chris Holmes remanded him in custody to reappear at Banbridge Magistrates Court next month.

As he was led from the dock to be taken away to Maghaberry high security prison in Co Antrim, Mr Ross threw a brief glance towards the bereft families in the public gallery but there were no verbal exchanges.

Relatives of a third woman, Lily McKee (52), a mother of one who died in December 2002, were also at the court hearing.

Ms McKee also lived in Dromore and had been in an on-off relationship with Mr Ross for 11 years, according to her daughter. Police said a file on the investigation into her death would be submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Mr Ross is due to appear again via videolink on September 19th.

PA