OMEN
02-11-2009, 11:16 PM
Judgement has been reserved in the case of a double murder in Tandragee, County Armagh.
Belfast Crown Court judge Mr Justice Gillen said he would carefully consider three months of evidence.
David McIlwaine, 18, and Andrew Robb, 19, were stabbed to death on a country road in February 2000.
Steven Leslie Brown, also known as Steven Revels, 28, of Castle Place, Castlecaulfield, denied involvement in the double murder.
After listening to closing speeches from both the prosecution and the defence, Mr Justice Gillen said he planned to give careful consideration to all the evidence and told the court: "I will give my verdict as soon as I can."
During the trial, evidence was heard from suspect turned witness Mark Burcombe, who claimed the two victims called to Mr Brown's Sinton Park home in Tandragee following a night out, looking for a party.
Mr Burcombe, 28, claimed Andrew made a disparaging remark about UVF leader Richard Jameson who had been murdered the previous week which angered Mr Brown and his friend Noel Dillon. Mr Dillon has since taken his own life.
He said the teenagers were then driven to a country road on the outskirts of Tandragee in Mr Brown's car and murdered.
Mr Burcombe - who was initially standing trial for the murders before turning Queen's evidence - said Mr Brown and Mr Dillon murdered both young men and admitted that while he was at the scene, he played no part in the killings.
However, in his closing speeches on Wednesday a defence barrister said Mr Burcombe was a "cunning" man who had the "capacity to mislead" and who had literally "gotten away with murder".
He told Mr Justice Gillen he should reject Mr Burcombe as being a "credible witness", and that he "wished he had a penny" for every time Mr Burcombe changed or added to his version of events.
The lawyer there was "no direct evidence" to link Mr Brown to the murder of Andrew Robb as Mr Burcombe claimed that while he saw Mr Brown stab David, he did not witness Andrew's murder.
Defence said the prosecution relied on one remark from Mr Burcombe who told police that when he asked Mr Brown what happened to Andrew, Mr Brown told him he and Mr Dillon had stabbed him.
BBC
Belfast Crown Court judge Mr Justice Gillen said he would carefully consider three months of evidence.
David McIlwaine, 18, and Andrew Robb, 19, were stabbed to death on a country road in February 2000.
Steven Leslie Brown, also known as Steven Revels, 28, of Castle Place, Castlecaulfield, denied involvement in the double murder.
After listening to closing speeches from both the prosecution and the defence, Mr Justice Gillen said he planned to give careful consideration to all the evidence and told the court: "I will give my verdict as soon as I can."
During the trial, evidence was heard from suspect turned witness Mark Burcombe, who claimed the two victims called to Mr Brown's Sinton Park home in Tandragee following a night out, looking for a party.
Mr Burcombe, 28, claimed Andrew made a disparaging remark about UVF leader Richard Jameson who had been murdered the previous week which angered Mr Brown and his friend Noel Dillon. Mr Dillon has since taken his own life.
He said the teenagers were then driven to a country road on the outskirts of Tandragee in Mr Brown's car and murdered.
Mr Burcombe - who was initially standing trial for the murders before turning Queen's evidence - said Mr Brown and Mr Dillon murdered both young men and admitted that while he was at the scene, he played no part in the killings.
However, in his closing speeches on Wednesday a defence barrister said Mr Burcombe was a "cunning" man who had the "capacity to mislead" and who had literally "gotten away with murder".
He told Mr Justice Gillen he should reject Mr Burcombe as being a "credible witness", and that he "wished he had a penny" for every time Mr Burcombe changed or added to his version of events.
The lawyer there was "no direct evidence" to link Mr Brown to the murder of Andrew Robb as Mr Burcombe claimed that while he saw Mr Brown stab David, he did not witness Andrew's murder.
Defence said the prosecution relied on one remark from Mr Burcombe who told police that when he asked Mr Brown what happened to Andrew, Mr Brown told him he and Mr Dillon had stabbed him.
BBC