A YEAR after the murder of former Burnley man Stuart Gaskell, the two men accused of his killing have still to be tried in court.

South African police are still waiting for the attorney general to forward a High Court date for the trial of the two men, aged in their 20s.

Inspector Eugene Fitzer said today: "The High Court is extremely busy. As soon as we are given a date they will be in court and they will plead."

Tomorrow is the first anniversary of Stuart's murder.

His mother Sheila Park was visiting her son and his wife Estelle at their home in Cape Town when it happened.

Estelle and Stuart had left Bacup to make a new life in South Africa seven months before. Estelle's parents also live there.

Estelle had just received confirmation that she was pregnant and together with Mrs Park she went to tell Stuart at a truck firm where he was an operations manager.

When they arrived at the firm they stumbled on an armed robbery.

Estelle and Mrs Park were left bound and gagged and locked in a container lorry while Stuart was marched away by the robbers who tortured him and shot him twice in the head.

Mrs Park said Estelle gave birth to their daughter Abigail Maria Elizabeth on September 9. She now lives with her parents.

Mrs Park will have to return to Cape Town as a witness to the murder once a court date has been set.

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