Double Outrage: Michaela Murder Pics Published After Not Guilty Verdict

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is to lodge a formal complaint with the government of Mauritius after photographs of the hotel room crime scene where Michaela McAreavey was murdered - including images of her dead body - were published in a Sunday newspaper on the island.

The development followed the acquittal of the only two men charged with the honeymoon bride's murder at the end of a harrowing eight week trial last week.

Michaela was found strangled in her hotel room at the Legends holiday resort on Mauritius in January of last year.

She was killed after leaving her new husband John by the swimming pool, and going to her room to collect some biscuits she had brought from Ireland to have with her tea.

She is the daughter of one of the most famous figures in Irish sport - Mickey Harte, the Tyrone GAA football manager.

Two men were charged with her murder, but after an eight week trial that dominated news headlines in both Ireland and Mauritius over the past two months, a jury returned unanimous not guilty verdicts last week.

Michaela's husband John sat in the front row of the courtroom on Thursday with other family members as the foreman of the jury returned the not guilty verdicts.

John McAreavey just shook his head, and before the judge had finished speaking, he and his sister Clare, father Brendan and brother-in-law Mark Harte had made for the exit.

The courtroom erupted into cheers and there were chaotic scenes outside the courthouse as relatives and supporters of the two acquitted hotel workers celebrated the verdict wildly.

There were impromptu press conferences, loud cheer, legal teams were carried shoulder high and fireworks were set off.

Avinash Treebhoowoon and Sandip Moneea were arrested at the Legends resort the day after the murder.

Mr Treebhooowoon signed a confession three days later, but the trial heard allegations that this was beaten out of him by the local police.

He testified to the court that he had been repeatedly beaten, and had his head plunged into water.

The trial, which had been planned for 9 days, lasted eight weeks and heard from 41 witnesses.

There was no DNA evidence linking the two men to the crime, and the jury was not sufficiently convinced of their guilt by the prosecution.

"My wife and I are very happy," Mr Treebhoowoon said in the middle of the chaos outside the courthouse. "I am so sad about the lady, but I did not do this. I did not kill this lady. I am sure by god."

Mr Moneea also celebrated: "I feel great. Justice has been done."

Defence barristers Sanjeev Teeluckdharry and Rama Valayden criticized the police investigation and called for a new inquiry into the murder.

"This is what happens when we rush to find justice, like it was in the Birmingham Six, like it was in the Guilford Four," Mr Valayden said.

"My message to the McAreavey family is, 'don't despair'. I can promise to you and to the Irish nation that I, Rama Valayden, with my friend Sanjeev, we will continue our efforts to find the real guilty persons."

The Harte and McAreavey families, who behaved with remarkable restraint and dignity throughout the trial, released as short statement through a public relations company, appealing for privacy.

"After waiting 18 months in search of justice for Michaela, and following the endurance of seven harrowing weeks of this trial, there are no words which can describe the sense of devastation and desolation now felt by both families," it said.

But as the families flew home, with a sense of justice denied, there was a new low on Sunday.

Local newspaper, Sunday Times, which has no connection to the British or Irish papers of the same name, printed photographs which had been used in evidence of the trial from the crime scene.

The publication of such photographs - including ones that contained images of Michaela McAreavey's dead body - shocked and outraged Ireland.

In a statement, the Harte and McAreavy's lashed out.

"As the families struggle to come to terms with the result from the trial - this action by the newspaper is not only insensitive to their grief but marks another low in the treatment of John, the two families and the dignity of Michaela," they said.

And they were supported in their outrage from the highest political offices in Ireland.

"The publication of these images represents an appalling invasion of privacy and is a gross affront to human dignity," said Taoisaech Enda Kenny

"There are issues of fundamental human rights in question in relation to this deeply upsetting matter. This reprehensible act can only add to the pain and suffering of the McAreavey and Harte families and our thoughts and sympathies are again with them at this time.

"On behalf of the people of Ireland, the Government will be lodging a formal complaint in the strongest possible terms, with the government of Mauritius."

There was criticism too from north of the border, where the McAreaveys and Hartes live.

Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness condemned the publication of the sensitive photographs.

"Just when it seems the system in Mauritius cannot heap any more pain and anguish on to the McAreavey and Harte families, a local newspaper publishes pictures of Michaela's body," he said.

"The decision of the newspaper in Mauritius to publish crime scene photographs, including pictures of Michaela's body is an outrageous abuse that cannot be justified in any way," he said.

"People in Mauritius need to realize that the eyes of the international community are firmly focused on their country and their justice system in the wake of the brutal murder of Michaela and the absolute failure to deliver justice for John McAreavey and the rest of family.

"This case will not simply go away as some in Mauritius seem to hope. I can assure the Mauritian authorities that people in Ireland will continue to keep a focus on this case until justice is done."