Author’s killer told to pay £100k trial bill

THE killer of children’s author Helen Bailey has been ordered to pay almost £100,000 to cover the cost of his six-week trial.

Ian Stewart, 56, is serving a minimum of 34 years for smothering the Electra Brown writer and dumping her body in a cesspit below their £1.5million Hertfordshire home last year.

He had slowly drugged his 51-year-old fiancée who was worth about £3.3million.

During a hearing at St Albans Crown Court, Judge Andrew Bright agreed to impose costs of £98,455 and also gave £5,100 back to her estate.