Honeymoon Murder: Widower Breaks Down In Court

A widower who found his new bride strangled on their honeymoon in Mauritius was asked by police why he was crying and then told "you're young, you'll get another wife", a court heard.

John McAreavey broke down in court as he relived the moments he found wife Michaela's body - and revealed that police handcuffed and left him alone in a room for more than five hours in the wake of her murder.

The accountant, from Co Down, Northern Ireland, said his life ended when his "wonderful, wonderful" wife died on their honeymoon.

Giving evidence at the trial of the two hotel workers accused of murdering the 27-year-old teacher, Mr McAreavey said he fell to his knees and prayed after trying desperately to revive her.

"Michaela was cold," he said, his voice halting.

"And her lips were blue and I kept on just saying 'Michaela, Michaela, wake up, come on, come on'.

"Then I could see this mark on her neck. I didn't know what was going on, I didn't know what was going on. I was grabbing her and trying to press on her chest and trying to attempt CPR. I don't even know CPR.

"I was just holding her in my arms, telling her to come on, just to wake up."

Mr McAreavey is appearing as a prosecution witness in the high-profile case at the Supreme Court in the island's capital, Port Louis.

The daughter of Tyrone Gaelic football boss Mickey Harte was found strangled in her room at the luxury Legends Hotel last January, just two weeks after her wedding in Northern Ireland.

The prosecution claim hotel employees Sandip Moneea and Avinash Treebhoowoon
murdered Mrs McAreavey when she returned to the room at the exclusive beachside
complex and caught them stealing.

Mr McAreavey said that in the hours after the killing he was taken to a derelict-looking building where he was put in a room before officers took off his shirt and examined him for marks.

"I could see what was going through their minds," he said.

"They put handcuffs on me and I was sat down on a bench. It was for at least five hours, I'm sure, more - actually it was late into the night."

As he began giving evidence, Mr McAreavey described his wife and produced pictures of her that were passed to the jury.

"Michaela was a wonderful, wonderful person, a really special human," he said.

"She completed my whole life. She was the most beautiful person I have seen. I've yet to see anyone prettier than Michaela."

Former room attendant Treebhoowoon, 31, and floor supervisor Moneea, 42, deny murdering Irish language and religious education teacher Mrs McAreavey, from Ballygawley, Co Tyrone. The trial continues.