Supergrass Trial: Robert Stewart “non riusciva a ricordare il suo nome”

Supergrass ‘couldn’t remember his name’

So-called supergrass Robert Stewart has been quizzed about his mental state at the time when he was questioned by police.

The 37-year-old returned to the witness box at Belfast Crown Court on Monday after being ill for several days.

He is giving evidence against 14 men in connection of a catalogue of UVF crimes, including the murder of Tommy English in 2000.

Stewart was reminded by defence QC Charles Adair that he had described himself as having “pixies running around in his head”, and Mr Adair said on another occasion Stewart had not been able to remember his own name.

Appealing to judge Mr Justice Gillen on how many times he should be questioned on the matter, Stewart said: “I don’t know what he wants me to say, but I’m not a head case, if that’s what he is implying”.

Stewart maintained that the various phrases were “just a comment” and meant nothing more, and that the authorities “seemed quite happy I was telling the truth”.

The self-confessed loyalist terrorist repeatedly told the court he had “no reason to lie” and that he was not “pretending… professing to be something I am not”, and accused Mr Adair of simply trying to “pick holes” in his evidence.

Stewart later told Mr Adair: “This is rubbish you are talking… it’s just a comment…. it doesn’t mean much”.

At one stage Mr Adair suggested there were two alternatives to the description Stewart used to describe his state of mind at the time – either he was deranged, or there was nothing wrong with him and he was using it as an excuse for the “gaping holes” in his evidence.

“That’s not correct,” said Stewart, “I was just being as truthful as I could”.

However, Mr Justice Gillen suggested a third alternative, that Stewart’s mental state at the time was affected by his past drug taking, but had since improved.

The Newtownabbey man 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.