The mother of a murdered West Malling teacher left a Qatar courtroom today confident she is nearing the end of a four-year hunt for justice.

The burned remains of 24-year-old Lauren Patterson were found in a desert pit in 2013 – a knife was still lodged in her ribcage.

In March 2015 Badr Hashim Khamis Abdallah al-Jabr was sentenced to death for the murder, but last February the country’s court of appeal ordered a re-trial.

Since then the hearing has been stalled six times, but today Lauren's mother Alison, who has flown to the Gulf state for every hearing, was positive as she left court.

All the evidence has now been presented and a verdict will be delivered on Monday, March 27.

During today's closing arguments Mrs Patterson's lawyer Sami Abushaika described the crime as the worst in the country's history and al-Jabr should be punished according to Qatari/Sharia law.

Miss Patterson, from Leybourne Chase, was teaching at a primary school in the capital Doha when she disappeared on a night out.

A second man, Mohamed Abdallah Hassan Abdul Aziz, was convicted of helping to hide Miss Patterson’s body and interfering with evidence. He has already been released from prison.