The moment Hazel Stewart's guilty verdict is delivered
- Published
It was an extraordinary courtroom moment .
One of devastation for the family of Hazel Stewart - and one of intense and mixed emotions for the relatives of those she murdered 20 years ago.
As we sat in the press box waiting for the jury, one veteran reporter whispered to me that he had never known such a tense atmosphere in a court.
Stewart's daughter Lisa was looking at her mother and mouthing: "I love you".
Stewart was breathing heavily.
Then she was told to stand, as the foreman of the jury was asked in turn for the verdict on each count of murder.
Twice he replied: "Guilty".
Stewart's son Andrew let out a cry of despair. His sister Lisa began to sob uncontrollably.
She said over and over again: "It's not fair, it's not fair," before she was comforted by her step-father and the defence solicitor.
Stewart for the most part looked straight ahead.
She began to shake a little as the judge told her: "The only sentence open to the court is one of life imprisonment."
More members of Stewart's family broke down.
Opposite them in the courtroom, relatives of the victims also shed tears.
Seconds later, the judge simply said: "Take her away."