Published Wednesday, 03 March 2010
Senior judges heard finger prints and DNA found on cables and a bag used to bind and then suffocate Paul Crymble were central to the case against the pair.
Roger Ferguson and Jacqueline Crymble were also said to have slept together on the night before the murder, and tried to keep secret their affair which continued in its aftermath.
A Crown lawyer set out how Crymble attempted to vilify her husband - who was described at trial as a dedicated and loving man.
Michael Chambers said the allegations provided a motive for the killing to take place.
Ferguson, 33, and Crymble, 37, are both seeking to overturn their convictions for murdering the father of two in June 2004.
The 35-year-old victim's wife claims masked men broke into the family home on Ballybrae Road near Richill, Armagh looking for drugs and money before attacking and kidnapping her husband.
Ferguson, from Tandragee, Armagh, claimed he was at home in bed on the night of the murder.
Their appeals have centred heavily on arguments surrounding the trial judge's directions to the jury, including instructions about how to treat the evidence of Colin Robinson, a co-accused cleared of murder but found guilty of assisting an offender.
Mr Chambers told the court Robinson's testimony was the most heavily scrutinised and found to be consistent with forensic and mobile phone evidence.
The barrister detailed how Ferguson moved into the marital home in the week leading up to the killing, while Paul Crymble was on a cycling trip abroad.
The couple had gone to look at a £20,000 jeep which Jacqueline Crymble was apparently going to buy despite seemingly lacking the financial means, the court heard.
Cable ties used to bind the victim were found to have Ferguson's DNA on them, according to Mr Chambers.
"This was put forward at the lower court as devastating evidence against Mr Ferguson," he said.
"There was also devastating evidence against Mrs Crymble of a finger print on the bag put round the (victim's) head."
Judges were told prints were discovered on a similar roll of bags found in her kitchen.
Jacqueline Crymble was likely to have been the person who ripped off the bag used in the suffocation, it was claimed.
Mr Chambers also defended the legal directions given over the lies told by the lovers.
"The judge made it clear to the jury if they were satisfied beyond reasonable doubt the defendants lied and were satisfied beyond reasonable doubt there was not an innocent explanation for it they were entitled to take that into account," he said.
"He reminded them on a number of occasions that defendants don't always lie to conceal guilt, that there were other reasons why people lie."
Following all arguments the three judge panel hearing the appeal reserved their decision.