From the 4 December 2008 edition of the Portadown Times:
THE families of Portadown murder victims Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine wept in court on Monday as they heard a former co-accused turned ’supergrass’ give an horrific account of the friends’ deaths.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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.
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From UTV News 25 November 2008:
A 28-year-old old man accused of murdering two teenagers on an isolated country lane told a friend he “got a buzz” after the slaughter, saying “I`ve forgotten what it was like to kill.”
Steven Leslie Brown, also known as Stephen Revels, is standing trial at Belfast Crown Court for the brutal murders of Portadown teenagers Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine in February 2000.
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From BBC News 25 November 2008:
A 28-year-old man has appeared in court accused of murdering two County Armagh teenagers in February 2000.
Steven Leslie Brown, also known as Stephen Revels, is standing trial for the murders of Portadown teenagers Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine.
Belfast Crown Court was told on Tuesday that they were killed outside Tandragee after Andrew Robb made a remark about murdered UVF leader Richard Jameson.
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To read the full judgment in the trial of the Queen v. Mark Robert Burcombe, deferred 27/6/2008 by Judge Hart, click here to download in pdf form.
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