The jury in the Helen Bailey murder trial have retired to consider their verdicts.

Judge Andrew Bright sent out the jury to start deliberations in the case, which is now in its seventh week at St Albans Crown Court.

Ian Stewart stands accused of murdering the children's author, who had a home in Broadstairs.

Previously, the court had heard how the 56-year-old fiance of Mrs Bailey became increasingly 'frantic' the days after reporting her missing to the police.

She disappeared from their £1.5m home at Royston, Hertfordshire, on Friday, April 15, last year.

Prosecutors claim Stewart probably suffocated Mrs Bailey, 51, and then dumped her body in a cesspit after drugging her with sleeping medication he had been prescribed.

The body of her beloved daschund Boris was also found in the cesspit.

The Crown claims he murdered her to gain her fortune worth £4 million.

The court also heard Stewart pushed for the sale of a property she owned to go through and tried to register as power of attorney after he allegedly murdered her.

Stewart was later arrested on Monday, July 11, and released the following day and was in a hotel with his sons while police were searching the home they shared.

The accused man told the court he had considered suicide while staying at her holiday home in Broadstairs.

And in footage shown to the jury he replied "you're joking" when he was arrested by police on suspicion of her murder.

Stewart could be seen wearing only his dressing gown as he was cautioned by officers moments after being pulled from his bed.

Stewart, of Royston, Hertfordshire, has been on trial for the murder of Helen, one count of fraud, one count of preventing lawful burial, and three counts of perverting the course of justice.

He denies the charges.