Men cleared of honeymoon murder in Mauritius

Two former hotel workers have been acquitted of murdering honeymooner Michaela McAreavey in Mauritius.

Avinash Treebhoowoon and Sandip Moneea were found not guilty by an unanimous jury at the island's Supreme Court in Port Louis following two hours of deliberations.

The daughter of Tyrone gaelic football manager Mickey Harte was found strangled in her room at the luxury Legends resort in January 2011.

The prosecution had claimed the defendants attacked the 27-year-old teacher when she interrupted them stealing in the room, having momentarily left her husband John at a poolside restaurant to fetch biscuits.

Treebhoowoon, who is 32, from Plaine de Roches, worked as a room attendant at Legends while 43-year-old Moneea, from Petit Raffray, was his floor supervisor.

They were arrested at the hotel the day after the murder.

The high profile case was originally listed to run nine days but the verdict came in its eighth week.

Members of the McAreavey family walked straight out of court when the foreman of the jury made the verdicts known. In stark contrast there were jubilant scenes from the supporters of the defendants.

ITV News' Nina Nannar reports:

Outside court Treebhoowoon said he was overjoyed. He also expressed sympathy for the McAreaveys.

"I'm so sad about this lady," he said. "But I did not kill this lady."

Moneea wept as he hugged his lawyer Rama Valayden.

"I am so happy to be back with my family," he said. "These past 18 months have been so hard."

The family of Michaela McAreavey have released the following statement:

Three other hotel workers originally charged in connection with Michaela McAreavey's murder could hardly have had more varied experiences since.

One turned key witness for the prosecution, another is suing the police for more than £400,000 and the third is facing court proceedings on a lesser charge.

The latter, Dassen Naraynen, a former security guard at the Legends hotel, has also alleged he was the victim of police brutality.