Ex-lover cleared of three murders dies

70yr-old on sex charges loses cancer fight

AN OAP who was acquitted of murdering three ex-girlfriends has died from cancer.

A reporting ban on Leslie Ross, 70, who was cleared over the deaths, was finally lifted by a judge yesterday.

The stone mason’s latest trial over a catalogue of unrelated sex offences was stopped last month after he collapsed in the dock.

The defendant passed away earlier this week. The banning order was imposed in 2015 when the first of three murder hearings was aborted.

It was lifted by Her Honour Judge Mcreynolds at Newry Crown Court.

The accused’s solicitor said Ross had been “besmirched as a serial killer”. He added: “All murder trials collapsed. From the outset Leslie Ross steadfastly protested his innocence and he was entirely vindicated.”

Ross was accused of murdering Elizabeth Mckee, Margaret Weise and Michelle Bickerstaff five years apart.

However, he was cleared over the death of 52-year-old mum-of-one Ms Mckee in December 2002. Ross was accused of killing Ms Weise, 50, on August 31, 2007, and 47-year-old Ms Bickerstaff on April 21, 2012.

However, following a week of legal applications and argument the first trial was aborted.

Mr Justice Burgess, who slapped the first publicity ban on the case, also ruled evidence concerning Ms Weise was inadmissible.

He also accepted a defence argument that the double murder trial “be severed” and each case dealt with separately.

In the coming months there were three more hearings over Ms Bickerstaff ’s death.

Ross, from Mengalis Road in Dromore, Co Down, was acquitted in January 2016 after the prosecution offered no further evidence.

Two months later the accused was tried for the murder of Ms Weise, a registered blind person.

However, within weeks of the trial starting Ross was acquitted.

The defence team always made the case the accused’s former lovers had, like himself, problems with alcohol.

They also said any fatal injuries could have been caused by falls.

NEWRY COURT YESTERDAY

ACCUSED Leslie Ross GRIEF Margaret Weise ANGUISH Elizabeth Mckee TRAGIC Michelle Bickerstaff PROBE Ross’ home in Co Down