Ben and Catherine Mullany were shot in an Antigua hotel just over two weeks after their wedding A newly-wed woman pleaded “help me, please” before she and her husband were shot on honeymoon three years ago, a murder trial in Antigua has heard.
Welsh couple Ben and Catherine Mullany died after an apparent botched robbery at their luxury resort.
The Mullanys, both 31, from Pontardawe, near Swansea, had been staying at the £330-a-night five-star Cocos Hotel.
Avie Howell, 20, and Kaniel Martin, 23, deny murder. The case continues at Antigua’s High Court.
The Mullanys’ deaths came shortly before that of local shopkeeper Woneta Anderson, who was killed with a bullet to the head in an “almost identical” attack, it was alleged.
Opening the case in the capital of St John’s, prosecutor Anthony Armstrong told jurors that the defendants acted together, their crimes part of a “joint enterprise”.
“The manner in which these three people were killed was almost identical,” he said.
“All three victims were shot in the head. They were shot with a single bullet, no more, no less.
“All three victims were killed using the same firearm.”
“You should not be concerned about the consequences of your decision”
Prosecutor Anthony Armstrong
The Mullanys were at their hotel on the south west of the holiday island when at least one gunman burst into their hotel chalet as they slept, the court heard.
Fellow tourists heard Mrs Mullany, a paediatrician, begging for help at about 5am on July 27 2008.
But when police arrived at the scene that Sunday morning, Mrs Mullany was dead, killed by a gunshot wound to the head.
Mr Mullany, a physiotherapy student at the University of the West England in Bristol, suffered massive brain haemorrhaging after a bullet entered his neck and travelled through his skull.
He was placed on a life-support machine and flown back to Morriston Hospital in Swansea but died a week later.
Howell and Martin allegedly struck again on 8 August, the court heard, this time killing the 43-year-old shopkeeper in her home during what police believe was a violent robbery.
Mr Armstrong said the defendants could be linked to all three murders.
“Shortly after the shooting of Ben and Catherine Mullany, there is evidence which puts them in their possession of Ben Mullany’s stolen phone,” he said.
“In respect of Woneta, there is evidence that we will show you that places one of the accused at the scene.”
Howell and Martin were arrested after British detectives were sent to Antigua to assist local officers with their investigation.
The Crown, which plans to call some 70 witnesses during the trial, will rely on ballistic, DNA, documentary, medical and mobile phone evidence.
Concluding his short opening statement, Mr Armstrong told jurors: “You should not be concerned about the consequences of your decision.”
In coming to their verdicts, he urged the panel to rely on “simple old-fashioned common sense”, adding: “I invite you to be fair, fearless and approach this case with due attention.”
Howell, of Golden Grove, Antigua, and Martin, of Tindale Road, deny three counts of murder.
The trial is expected to last two months.
The accused pair are also charged with murdering Tony Louisa, 43 and student Rafique Kareem Harris, 24, but those trials will begin at a later date.
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