The trial of Ian Stewart, who is charged with the murder of his wife Diane, has been put back a number of weeks.

Stewart is to stand trial for the murder of 47-year-old Diane, who died at their home in Bassingbourn in 2010. The couple previously lived in Shepreth.

The trial had been given a start date of November 8, 2021 at Luton Crown Court, but will now take place on January 17, 2022, at Huntingdon Crown Court.

Royston Crow: Diane Stewart died in Bassingbourn in 2010.Diane Stewart died in Bassingbourn in 2010. (Image: sbna_fairleys)

Ian Stewart, who is originally from Letchworth, is currently serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 34 years in prison for the murder of his fiancée, Royston author Helen Bailey in 2016.

Stewart, 60, killed Ms Bailey and dumped her body in a cesspit beneath their home in Baldock Road, Royston, along with her beloved miniature dachshund Boris.

A jury at St Albans Crown Court returned a verdict of guilty on charges of murder, fraud, preventing legal burial and three counts of perverting the course of justice in February 2018 after an eight-week trial.

Police launched a reinvestigation into Diane’s death after Stewart’s conviction for the murder of Ms Bailey. Stewart pleaded not guilty in November 2020

Prosecutor Neil King has said the time estimate for the trial involving the death of Diane Stewart was four weeks.