Supergrass Trial: il giudice non ammette “le imprecazioni” di Robert Stewart

Supergrass warned over swearing

Supergrass witness Robert Stewart, who is testifying against his former alleged UVF comrades, has been warned by the judge not to swear during his evidence.

Under cross-examination at Belfast Crown Court for the seventh day, Stewart swore twice on Monday morning when answering questions from defence QC Barry McDonald.

However when he swore for the second time, Diplock judge Mr Justice Gillen interjected to warn him that “it will not be tolerated” and Stewart apologised.

Newtownabbey man Stewart is giving evidence against a total of 14 men, accusing nine of them of involvement in the murder of rival loyalist chief Tommy English in October 2000, amongst numerous other offences ranging from firearms offences to punishment attacks.

Along with his brother David, Stewart turned Queen’s evidence and in exchange for a 75% reduction of their jail terms for their involvement in the murder, agreed to give evidence against the men, including alleged special branch informer Mark Haddock.

During an often tense session of cross-examination by one of the defence QCs, Mr McDonald – representing David Miller, Stewart’s first expletive came as he tried to explain why there were inconsistencies in what role he attributed to Miller in the murder.

His second expletive came when Mr McDonald asked him about why the brothers had changed their stories over who hijacked a taxi and how his clothes and a replica firearm came to be disposed of.

Mr McDonald asked several times why the story was changed, whether it was because they saw the “virtue” in telling the truth or whether it was because their “deal” would crumble if they were “caught out” on a lie.

There was a chuckle among the numerous barristers, solicitors and even the defendants sitting in the dock when Stewart commented: “If I wasn’t honest I wouldn’t be sitting here” but then corrected himself telling the court he meant that if he was honest “in my old days I would not be sitting here”.

He agreed that during one police interview, he confessed that he had “mislead a court, gave a false alibi or gave perjured evidence”, but when asked by Mr McDonald what they were in reference to, he told the court: “I don’t know. I have already explained that I was in the UVF for 14 years, lying and beating people up and doing the worst things possible – that’s just part of life.”

Later Stewart denied that he and his brother had spoken about the accounts they would give to the court, claiming that as he suffers from bi-polar disorder, the trial and their evidence is the “last thing he would want to talk about”.

The case continues.