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05/05/2009
Accused Sent For Trial On Schoolboy Murder Charges
A judge has today ruled that two men are to stand trial for the murder of north Belfast schoolboy nearly four years ago.
Gary Taylor of Ross House in Mount Vernon and Nigel Brown, formerly of Whitewell Road, are charged with the attack in August 2005 in which Thomas Devlin, 15, died from stab wounds.
They are also charged with the attempted murder of his friend when the pair were attacked as they trip to buy sweets at a garage in the Fortwilliam area.
The court heard that a senior lawyer described evidence as "compelling".
A prosecution barrister claimed that police reconstructions, based on CCTV footage of the suspects, fitted closely with how Thomas died.
District Judge George Conner said he was satisfied there was enough material to put the two men on trial.
They were remanded in custody to go before Belfast Crown Court on a date to be fixed.
Both the accused spoke only to confirm they did not want to say anything in response to the charges or give any evidence.
Meanwhile, the killer of a 17-year-old girl in an unrelated case in Co Londonderry has been sentenced.
Terence Philip Whiting, from Kent, but with an address at Maghaberry Prison, had already pleaded guilty to the murder of Wendy Ann McAteer, who was his girlfriend. The 31-year-old now faces 14 years jail for murdering her in Limavady in 2007.
The victim's body was found at Backburn Path in the town beside St Mary's High School. She had been strangled and beaten.
Miss McAteer had been living with Whiting at Robertson Crescent in the town at the time of her murder.
Passing sentence, Mr Justice McCloskey described it as a "brutal, vicious murder" which Whiting had attempted to deny.
The judge said Whiting had shown "no true remorse" for his terrible deed.
See: Thomas Devlin Murder Suspect Charged
See: Guilty Plea To Teen's Murder
(BMcC/JM)
Gary Taylor of Ross House in Mount Vernon and Nigel Brown, formerly of Whitewell Road, are charged with the attack in August 2005 in which Thomas Devlin, 15, died from stab wounds.
They are also charged with the attempted murder of his friend when the pair were attacked as they trip to buy sweets at a garage in the Fortwilliam area.
The court heard that a senior lawyer described evidence as "compelling".
A prosecution barrister claimed that police reconstructions, based on CCTV footage of the suspects, fitted closely with how Thomas died.
District Judge George Conner said he was satisfied there was enough material to put the two men on trial.
They were remanded in custody to go before Belfast Crown Court on a date to be fixed.
Both the accused spoke only to confirm they did not want to say anything in response to the charges or give any evidence.
Meanwhile, the killer of a 17-year-old girl in an unrelated case in Co Londonderry has been sentenced.
Terence Philip Whiting, from Kent, but with an address at Maghaberry Prison, had already pleaded guilty to the murder of Wendy Ann McAteer, who was his girlfriend. The 31-year-old now faces 14 years jail for murdering her in Limavady in 2007.
The victim's body was found at Backburn Path in the town beside St Mary's High School. She had been strangled and beaten.
Miss McAteer had been living with Whiting at Robertson Crescent in the town at the time of her murder.
Passing sentence, Mr Justice McCloskey described it as a "brutal, vicious murder" which Whiting had attempted to deny.
The judge said Whiting had shown "no true remorse" for his terrible deed.
See: Thomas Devlin Murder Suspect Charged
See: Guilty Plea To Teen's Murder
(BMcC/JM)
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