Man posed as doctor to poison couple, court told

Stephen Baxter, 61, and wife Carol, 64, were found dead in their armchairs at their home in West Mersea, Essex, in April 2023

A man accused of murdering a couple in their own home posed as a doctor so he could begin poisoning them, his trial has been told.

Luke D'Wit sent emails to Stephen Baxter, 61, and his 64-year-old wife Carol purporting to be from a doctor and urging them to drink a concoction to improve their liver health, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Tracy Ayling KC suggested to Mr D'Wit, 34, of West Mersea, Essex: "This was your start of getting both Stephen and Carol to take a concoction you could put something into to kill them off."

Mr D'Wit, who denies the murders, replied: "No."

Luke D'Wit is accused of poisoning the Baxters and rewriting their will

The IT worker is accused of poisoning the couple with the powerful painkiller fentanyl and rewriting their will to make him a director of their shower mat firm Cazsplash.

Their daughter Ellie, who found her parents dead at their home in West Mersea last Easter Sunday , watched from the public gallery as the defendant gave his evidence on Tuesday from a wheelchair.

He was cross-examined by Ms Ayling about the emails sent by a fake doctor, who prosecutors say was Mr D'Wit.

Ms Ayling said they told Mr and Mrs Baxter to drink boiling water, lemon and aspirin tablets.

"You mixed that up for them, adding in aspirin that would have no effect on the liver, and you threw in a fentanyl patch for good measure," she said.

The defendant replied: "No."

Mr D'Wit also denied he gave Mrs Baxter a tack, found in her system in February 2022, inside a tablet.

Ellie Baxter found her parents dead at their home

He denied a black rucksack found by police at the bottom of the bed where he was sleeping, at his mother's house, was his.

Ms Ayling said tacks and open tablets were found inside the bag.

Mr D'Wit said he collected the bag from the Cazsplash office after the Baxters died.

Asked about a birthday card, to him, found inside the bag, he said: "I possibly put the card in there when they gave it to me."

Ms Ayling said: "You rather specialise in opening up tablets and filling them up, don't you, Mr D'Wit?"

The defendant replied: "No."

The trial continues.

Additional reporting by PA Media.