Murdered Nurse Took Younger Lover

It has been revealed in court that a middle-aged nurse found strangled to death in her bath was in a relationship with a man 25 years younger than her.

The High Court in Belfast heard this week that Ballyclare woman, Pauline Haveron, 53, began seeing her son's friend after he briefly went out with her daughter.

As revealed exclusively in 4ni.co.uk last month, the man charged is a former 'front-line' RUC officer.

Joseph Haveron, 55, served in east Belfast in the same complex as the infamous Castlereagh Holding Centre - which was also a Special Branch HQ.

Yesterday, his lawyer claimed the "open relationship" coincided with the deterioration of their marriage.

The defence barrister said Mr Haveron had served for nearly 30 years in the RUC before leaving in 2003.

He had been a trained pursuit driver and witnessed "horrific" incidents, during a career that led to him suffering post-traumatic stress symptoms.

Mr Haveron denies killing his ex-wife. He was granted bail after the court heard his wife and her younger lover would be holding hands and kissing in their home.

Mrs Haveron's body was found at her home in Huntingdale, Ballyclare, last month.

The court heard she had been put in a bath of water, apparently to make it look as if she drowned.

The BBC reported last night that Mr Haveron, from Greenisland, was granted bail but ordered to have no contact with his wife's boyfriend Andrew Jones.

This followed comments he allegedly made to a friend who spoke to him about his ex-wife seeing a younger man.

The accused was initially arrested and questioned for four days before being released without charge.

Local DUP politician, Alderman Nigel Hamilton, a former Chairman of Newtownabbey District Policing Partnership commented that it was a "very serious and shocking incident".

The new 'fatal attraction' case recalls how NI was rocked by news that DUP stalwart Iris Robinson had to resign as MP and MLA for Strangford, and as a Castlereagh councillor, over a business deal made on behalf of her then teenage lover.

The wife of NI First Minister, Peter, later entered acute psychiatric treatment after a probe began into Mrs Robinson's alleged acquisition of £50,000 for a cafe business established by the council and run by Kirk McCambley, who is less than half her age.

See: Policeman Link To Ballyclare Murder

See: DUP Slams Iris Reports

(BMcC/GK)