Watson was deported from Australia to the US last week after serving 18-months in a Queensland prison for the manslaughter of Tina, who died whilst scuba diving in Townsville in 2003.

Watson is currently in a Los Angeles prison, where a judge today (1 December) approved his release into the hands of Alabama authorities.

Prosecutors believe Watson planned the murder of his wife prior to leaving the US for Australia, where they were spending their honeymoon, and cite revenge for a previous fling and the prospect of a life insurance pay-out as possible motives for the killing.

Watson had originally been charged with murder by Australian authorities. A coronial inquest concluded that the matter should go to trial before a jury, however, the charges against Watson were downgraded to manslaughter, to which he pleaded guilty in 2008.

Despite the fact Alabama can impose the death penalty for capital offences, the Australian Government received an undertaking from US officials that Watson will not be put to death if found guilty.

Watson has enlisted two local high-profile defence lawyers, Brett Bloomston and Jo Bagier, to run his case