'I asked killer question to murderer Tracie Andrews'

A journalist who was the first to question murderer Tracie Andrews at a police news conference has recalled the moment he became convinced she was lying about her fiance's death.

Rod Chaytor was among reporters covering the murder of 25-year-old Lee Harvey, who was stabbed 42 times by Andrews as the couple travelled home from a pub in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, in December 1996.

Andrews claimed the couple had been attacked in a road rage incident and later appeared alongside Harvey's parents at a police news conference to appeal for those responsible to come forward.

Chaytor, who asked the first question at the news conference, said Andrews changed part of her account almost immediately.

"My initial feeling was 'oh my God, I've messed this up' having been asked to take this leading role by my peers - but my second reaction was 'she did it'," he said.

"It's as simple as that."

Harvey was killed on the way from the Marlbrook pub in Bromsgrove to the home he shared with Andrews in Alvechurch.

The case is revisited in a new Channel 5 drama, first showing on Wednesday night ahead of the 30th anniversary of Harvey's death in December.

Chaytor, from Coventry, described the atmosphere at the news conference at Redditch Police Station as "electric".

"It was electric, it was dramatic, it was day three of a murder and here was the prime witness to the murder appearing at a press conference looking bloodied, beaten up and what have you.

"It was a stark contrast to the pictures that we'd seen taken by a photographer of her in soft focus when she was all done up.

"It was very, very dramatic."

Chaytor said he had gone into the news conference intending to begin with something he believed he already knew the answer to.

"The first rule is ask a first question to which you think you already know the answer to," he said.

"So I just went over with her the timings that the police had given us the previous day and instantly she changed her account.

"I thought for a second I'd got this horribly wrong and then I realised she was buying herself an extra hour of time to cover eventualities.

"She was changing her story that she'd given so recently to the police."

Chaytor said the reaction of the senior investigating officer, Ian Johnstone, reinforced his suspicions.

"The senior investigating officer Ian Johnstone was also on the platform with Tracie and Lee's mum and dad.

"And he did this incredible slow-motion double take, looking piercingly at Tracie.

"I looked at that look and thought 'my goodness, she's changing her story' and that was of course, incredibly suspicious."

Andrews was subsequently charged with murdering Harvey and stood trial at Birmingham Crown Court.

Chaytor would encounter Andrews again during the trial, when he secured an exclusive interview with her while the jury was considering its verdict.

Andrews, who was on bail, continued to maintain her innocence but told him she believed the jury was going to convict her.

"She was still sticking to her story as the jury was still out and she was still on trial.

"Her story was: 'I didn't do it, I know the jury don't believe me, I can tell, they're going to find me guilty of murder, I know I'm going to prison, but I really didn't kill him, I loved him'."

Their interview ended abruptly when an announcement was made at the court.

"The tannoy then went off in the court and said all parties to court nine and I thought 'we have a verdict'.

"Tracie stood up. She turned left to go into court and stand for the last time in the dock.

"I turned right back to the press area where I would file my exclusive interview."

Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.