Woman killed and hidden in suitcase ‘wonderful mother’

Marie Stewart, 30, was described as “loving” and “caring” with her two children at the “forefront of her mind”.

Miss Stewart’s partner, Andrew Lindo, 29, has admitted killing Miss Stewart, telling police he strangled, battered and stabbed her before putting her in a suitcase and leaving it in their garage.

Music teacher Lindo admits manslaughter but denies murder at Bradford Crown Court.

He claims he killed Miss Stewart to protect his daughter, who he claims was being mistreated.

Prosecutors have said there is no truth to this allegation.

Yesterday, Amanda Utley, who was in a relationship with the victim’s father Robert, told the jury how she believed the defendant and Miss Stewart were “perfectly happy”.

She said they were “coping reasonably well” despite the pressures of moving to a new house with a newborn child.

Asked to describe her, Miss Utley said: “Loving, caring. The children was always at the forefront of her mind. They were her world.

“She was an absolutely wonderful mother, always doing things with the children, talking about them a lot, their progress.”

She said there was talk of Miss Stewart suffering from post-natal depression and it was agreed she would raise the matter in a “general conversation”.

But Miss Utley told the jury that Miss Stewart was a “very private person” and she “didn’t get anything from her”.

Prosecutors allege Lindo murdered Miss Stewart on December 18.

The jury has heard that Miss Stewart’s body was found on February 13 after which Lindo was arrested.

The jury has heard prosecutors claim Lindo killed Miss Stewart on December 18 before travelling to Barnsley, where he picked up his lover, Angela Rylance, and brought her back to his house.

Miss Rylance has told the court she began a relationship with the defendant earlier in 2010 and how she believed at the time he was a single father.

Prosecutors have said Lindo was leading a double life in the run-up to Miss Stewart’s death.

The jury has been told how, after he killed his partner in a prolonged assault, the defendant used Miss Stewart’s mobile phone and Facebook profile to convince her friends and family she had left him for another man.

Lindo was arrested after Miss Stewart’s sister Katie became suspicious and went to the police with her mother and one of her friends.

Earlier in the trial the jury was told how her sister could not understand her disappearance especially as she was so excited about Christmas with the children.

She told the jury how she became more suspicious, especially after finding her sister’s passport when she had thought she was abroad.

Miss Stewart also explained how she repeatedly offered to take down Lindo’s Christmas decorations because he was so busy.

The trails continues.