By Ashleigh McDonald, Belfast Telegraph, 12 December 2008:

The DNA of a man accused of murdering Portadown teenagers Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine was found on the heavily bloodstained jacket of one of the young victims, a court heard yesterday.

Steven Leslie Brown, who is also known as Steven Revels, is currently standing trial at Belfast Crown Court for the murders of Andrew and David. The 28-year old from Castle Place in Castlecaulfield denies the charges.

we should all be aware of “human rights ” we seem to hear of them in all aspects of our lives.

these human rights are broken into sections and sub-categories. for those of you who are not familiar with them ,article 2 of these rights relate to “the right to life and the protection of that life”

i fought and won a long and difficult court case to say my son had rights under article 2.my sons rights sadly and tragically were taken away from him by a group of loyalist paramilitaries who for a long time have been in the payroll of the same british government and its security forces who are sworn to and duty bound to protect.

From BBC News 8 December 2008:

Extracts from the BBC’s Crimewatch programme were shown in court on Monday as part of a double murder trial. [You may view this programme on our site here.]

The programme featured a reconstruction of the murders of teenagers Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine outside Tandragee in February 2000.

From the 4 December 2008 edition of the Portadown Times:

Mark Burcombe, (28), from Ballynahinch Road in Lisburn, gave evidence at Belfast Crown Court against Steven Leslie Brown, also known as Stephen Revels, who denies the charges. Burcombe had originally been charged with the murders but turned ‘Queen’s evidence’ earlier this year, and pleaded guilty to conspiring to cause grievous bodily harm to Andrew Robb and received a 30-month jail term.

The following article on today’s trial testimony is from BBC news.  You may watch the Crimewatch reconstruction of the murders here.  Paul’s version of Mark Burcombe handing himself in back in 2005 can be read here. Now, the article from today’s news:

The chief witness in a murder trial has denied suggestions that he made up his version of events at the behest of the UVF.

By Ashleigh McDonald in the Belfast Telegraph 4 December 2008:

A witness in a murder trial has been accused of “pointing the finger of blame” at a former friend to “save his own skin”.

Mark Burcombe was also accused of taking part in the murder of Portadown teenagers Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine in February 2002.

From BBC News 2 December 2008:

A lawyer defending a man accused of killing two teenagers has claimed the chief prosecution witness is attempting to frame his client.

In November 2005 Mark Burcombe admitted to involvement in the murders of Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine and agreed to act as a crown witness.

Last week in court, the police said five tyre marks had been found at scene, yet Burcombe says one Peugot only was used during the course of the crime.

Burcombe also said Monday when Revels, Dillon and he got back after killing,  Revels said to him, “I’m goin’ back to slice them 2 bastards up.” This to me ties in with what retired RUC man Steven William Brown said– that a short time later one car returned to scene.  What is disturbing is that neither Debbie Maxwell or Philip Donnelly are being called to testify!

Burcombe says  the car stopped and Dillon said, “Get the fuck out everybody.”  He and David went down lane to look for a house/drink/drugs. Some way down David said “nothing here” and turned to go back. Burcombe said, “They’re goin to give Robb a beating,” and David said, “Nothing to do with me.”

From Paul McIlwaine:

In November of 2005, Mark Burcombe, through myself and a third party, handed himself in.  Before doing so, his concern  was that he said he was there [at the time of the murders], took no part, and didn’t know what was going to happen.  Burcombe told me he was a member of the UVF, and asked me what would happen to him. I said through a third party that I would have to contact Senior Investigating Officer Tim Hanley and state the facts and it would be up to Hanley what may happen to him.

But first, I told Mark [his real identity was not known to me at the time], he would have to hand himself in, and he would be charged with double murder and it would be up to him to prove otherwise. There was talk that he may be more comfortable to hand himself in through a minister.  Tim hanley told his superior Sam Kinkaid and Kinkaid I beleive tried to ruin this negotiation by sending policemen to my church to try and find the identity of this person which I didn’t know myself–an act which I saw as very reckless and dangerous too, not only to Burcombe but others involved in talks (not to mention the fact that I thought it might ruin the case).

From BBC News 1 December 2008:

The families of two teenage murder victims wept in court as they heard a horrific account of their deaths.

Portadown teenagers Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine were stabbed to death in February 2000.

Steven Leslie Brown, also known as Stephen Revels, of Castle Place in Castlecaulfield, denies the murders.

The victims’ families were clearly shaken as Mark Burcombe, one of the men involved in the killings, gave a graphic account of the killings.