A BARRISTER facing several assault charges has died in Cyprus from cancer.

Barry Stewart, formerly of Staithes, North Yorkshire, was told in March that he was expected to return to the UK to answer bail after his case was listed for the 15th time by Teesside magistrates.

The 57-year-old, who was charged with four counts of common assault, had been living in northern Cyprus since earlier this year.

At about the same time, Mr Stewart developed breast cancer, which spread to his bones. He died on Monday morning.

Tributes were paid yesterday by colleagues.

Judge Peter Fox addressed a packed court room at Teesside Crown Court and said Mr Stewart had faced his debilitating and painful illness with "a rare combination of good humour and determination".

Mr Stewart graduated from Nottingham University and completed a post-graduate course in criminology at Cambridge.

He boxed at national level as a schoolboy and represented the region in athletics in field events.

In a short career with the prison service, he became the youngest prison governor at the time. He was called to the bar in 1968 and set up two chambers, one in Middlesbrough and the other in Sheffield.

A memorial service is to be held in Nicosia.