Jurors have started their deliberations in the trial of an IT worker who is accused of murdering a married couple with fentanyl.

Luke D’Wit is accused of poisoning Stephen Baxter, 61, and his 64-year-old wife Carol, and rewriting their will to make him a director of their shower mat firm Cazsplash.

The couple were found dead at their home in West Mersea, Essex, by their daughter Ellie on Easter Sunday last year.

D’Wit, 34, of West Mersea, denies the murders of Mr and Mrs Baxter, and is on trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.

The judge, the Honourable Mr Justice Lavender, summed up evidence in the case to jurors on Monday before sending them out to start considering their verdicts.

He told them that they were under no pressure of time.

The judge sent the jury home for the day just before 5pm and asked them to return at 10am on Tuesday, when they will resume their deliberations.