Two Co Antrim men were jailed for life yesterday for their roles in the killing of a Ballymoney RUC man on June 1st last year. They immediately indicated they would appeal their convictions for the murder of Constable Greg Taylor (41).
In Belfast Crown Court the Lord Chief Justice, Sir Robert Carswell, said that, while Leslie Henry (31), of Eastburn Crescent, and Alistair Stevenson (31), of Vow Road, had not intended to kill the man, "this does not take away from the fact it was a vicious assault, a disgraceful episode which has brought shame to the community in which it took place".
Lord Justice Carswell said the off-duty officer "was set upon by a mob in Church Street, Bally money, and beaten and kicked so severely that he died shortly afterwards of his injuries.
"When a crowd of men take part in the vigorous kicking of a man, lying on the ground, about the head and upper body, I consider that the overwhelming inference is that they set out to inflict grievous bodily harm," he added. That was the basis of finding them both guilty of murder, with only one sentence, life imprisonment.
"In doing so I would state for the benefit of those whose duty it may be in the course of time to consider your release the basis of my finding of guilt. I held that neither of you intended to kill Constable Taylor, a potent factor which you are entitled to have taken into account in your favour at the time of consideration of release," he added.
Stevenson, the judge said, "along with Henry and others, chased and hounded Taylor to the Candy Shop corner, surrounded him and brought him to the ground, that he was a member of the group who kicked Taylor as he lay on the ground".
Two other Ballymoney men, Trevor McLaughlin (25), of Long Lane, and Shane Brown (25), of Finvoy Road, who had earlier pleaded guilty to manslaughter, were jailed for four years, on condition they serve 12 months' probation on their release.
Also jailed for 12 months for affray was Daniel Stewart (33, of McArthur Avenue, Dervock. Mr Jason Wilmont (20), of Agherton Gardens, Ballymoney, was freed as he has already served the equivalent of that sentence.