First supergrass in two decades to give evidence
From the 24 May 2008 edition of the Belfast Telegraph. Article by Chris Thornton and Victor Gordon:
Shorter sentence deal for tout who admitted role in double killing
Saturday, May 24, 2008
This is the face of Northern Ireland’s first murder trial supergrass for two decades.
Mark Burcombe (27) is due to be sentenced next month after admitting a role in the horrific cut-throat murders of Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine.
He is then expected to testify against a man accused of playing a leading role in the attacks on the Portadown teenagers in February 2000.
Cricket-loving Burcombe (27) from Ballynahinch Road, Lisburn, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm to the 18-year-olds. He made the plea after reaching a deal with prosecutors that could see him receive a reduced sentence and escape a murder charge.
The supergrass trials of the 1980s saw scores of terror suspects jailed but the Court of Appeal later threw out their evidence.
