Check out the second album in our photo gallery by clicking on the “Gallery” tab above. This album includes examples of David’s artwork, extracts from his National Record of Achievement, as well as artwork by McIlwaine family friends.
From UTV News, 2 June 2008: Relatives of Tandragee murder victims Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine have heard for the first time, the gruesome details of their horrific killings eight years ago.
Afterwards the families attacked the dropping of murder charges against a man who`s turned supergrass.Andrew Robb’s father and David McIlwaine`s mother were in court for the first time today as details emerged of what happened to the two Portadown teenagers who were brutally murdered on a country road outside Tandragee in February 2000.
The revelations came at a pre-sentence hearing for 27-year-old Mark Burcombe from the Ballynahinch Road in Lisburn who’s pleaded guilty to conspiring to cause grievous bodily harm to Mr Robb.
Murder charges against him were dropped after he agreed to give supergrass evidence against his co-accused Stephen Brown, also known as Stephen Revels.
A prosecution lawyer said what sparked the murders were dismissive comments which Mr Robb made in a house about the LVF murder of loyalist feud victim and UVF leader Richard Jameson.
In a 43 page statement Burcombe named the killers as Brown and Noel Dillon, who has since killed himself.
He said he didn’t believe the intention had been to murder McIlwaine. But after killing Robb the men murdered him because it was in his words easy to do.
Burcombe told police he wished he had been killed that day. He said the families were wrong to believe he was receiving a financial reward and after his release from jail into a witness protection scheme. He said he would be looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life.
On his way from court the victims families shouted for Burcombe to tell the truth, feeling he hadn’t told the whole truth about his involvement.
He will be sentenced at a later date.
From BBC News, 2 June 2008. A televised interview with David’s father, Paul, can be viewed by clicking on this link. Today’s article follows below:
A man who had been due to stand trial for the murders of two men in Tandragee eight years ago has given a detailed account of what happened that night.
David McIlwaine, 18, and Andrew Robb, 19, were stabbed in February 2000.
A murder charge against Mark Burcombe, 27, from Ballynahinch Road in Lisburn was shelved in April after he agreed to give evidence against his co-accused.
He has been convicted of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm to Mr Robb and appeared in court to be sentenced.
In Belfast Crown Court on Monday, his statement to police in relation to the events of that night was read out.
From the 24 May 2008 edition of the Belfast Telegraph. Article by Chris Thornton and Victor Gordon:
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.
From BBC News on 16 May 2008:
Murder charges have been dropped against a man who agreed to give evidence against his co-accused.
Mark Burcombe had been charged with the murders of teenagers David McIlwaine and Andrew Robb eight years ago.
The 27-year-old from Ballynahinch Road in Lisburn is set to give evidence against Steven Brown, 27, of Castle Place in Castlecaulfield. More →
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