A PENSIONER accused of murdering three former girlfriends was filled with "evilness", the family of one of his alleged victims has said following his death.
The family said they felt "hugely let down" by the justice system and described it as a "hellish five years".
Leslie Ross (70), who died from cancer on Wednesday, had been accused of murdering Michelle Bickerstaff (47) in 2012, Margaret Weise (50) in 2007 and Elizabeth McKee (52) in 2002.
The trials had been subject to reporting restrictions imposed by the courts, which were lifted yesterday at Newry Crown Court.
That court was where Mr Ross had faced another trial accused of 44 unrelated sex charges, some dating back over 45 years, including rape.
It can now be revealed the stonemason, of Mengalis Road in Dromore, was found not guilty of murdering the three women.
Police arrested and questioned Mr Ross in 2013 over the women's deaths.
Throughout the legal proceedings, Mr Ross's defence team had argued that his former girlfriends had, like himself, problems with alcohol.
They also made the case that any fatal injuries the women suffered could have been caused by alcohol-related falls, which it was accepted they were prone to, rather than violence.
In a statement last night, the family of Ms Bickerstaff said: "We are left deflated and feel that justice was not served while he was on this earth.
"If the world knew the full truth of what Michelle had to endure with Ross, we feel like everyone would be shocked and disgusted at the torturous behaviour he put her through.
"The full truth has never been revealed on how violent Ross was as an individual, and through his violence we have been robbed of a daughter, sister, mother and grandmother.
"As a family over the past five years and being involved with the justice system, we feel hugely let down and can see that the defendant has more of a fair trial than the victims."
Ms Bickerstaff's family described her as a "lovely and kind person" and said they can now "finally start to grieve".
"We would like to thank anyone that have shown us kindness and support over these hellish five years," they said.
"We hope Leslie now gets the evilness he put upon so many victims while he was alive."
In 2015, a judge cleared Mr Ross of murdering Ms Kee at a preliminary hearing.
Later that year he went on trial at Armagh Crown Court accused of murdering Ms Weise and Ms Bickerstaff.
But following a week of legal applications and arguments, this first trial was aborted and the judge imposed a reporting ban.
In the coming months there were three more jury trials concerning the murder of Ms Bickerstaff.
In 2016, a jury were directed to acquit Mr Ross when the prosecution, who said it was their duty to keep all cases under review, offered no further evidence.
Some months later Mr Ross was tried for the murder of Ms Weise, a registered blind person, but after legal arguments the jury were directed to find him not guilty.
His solicitor Conleth Downey said Mr Ross had been "effectively besmirched as a serial killer".
"A loyal client of over 30 years, he found it easy to accept my legal advice," he added.
