A MAN on trial for murder set up a camera so he could watch his victims die after poisoning them, a court has heard.
Luke D’Wit, of Churchfields, West Mersea, is accused of murdering Stephen and Carol Baxter, who had set up a successful shower mat business.
The court heard on the first day of the trial how D’Wit, 34, had replaced the Baxters’ medication with lethal doses of Fentanyl and Promethazine on Good Friday last year, with the couple found dead on Easter Sunday.
D’Wit, the prosecution say, then changed the Baxters’ will the following day so he could take over the running of the business.
On Thursday, the prosecution continued opening their case, with Tracy Ayling KC telling the court D’Wit had downloaded iHeartCam on his phone, an app which allows users to connect devices and set up what is in effect a video monitoring system.
When the police searched D’Wit’s phone after he was arrested, they found six images on his phone which had been taken from the iHeartCam app.
One of those images, which was shown to the court, was of Mr and Mrs Baxter sitting in their armchairs in the conservatory where they were found dead, with D’Wit having filmed the two having left a phone at their house.
Mrs Ayling said: “Why was D’Wit watching the Baxters in the conservatory? Was he watching them die?
"Both are already incapacitated – we know the Fentanyl was taken orally."
The court was also shown CCTV footage of D’Wit walking towards the Baxters’ address in Victory Road at 5.44pm on Good Friday, with Ring doorbell footage then showing him leave their address at 7.55pm the same evening.
Mrs Ayling added: “Was this when D’Wit made everything pristine, clearing up the cups and making sure there was no trace [in the conservatory]?
“Although he is going to Victory Road, he does not leave until 7.55pm on the ring doorbell footage.
“He had watched them dying on his phone.”
The defence is due to open their case on Monday at 10.30am.
The trial continues.
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