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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Boy killers on 'lethal cocktail' | Boy killers on 'lethal cocktail' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Four Ballymena men jailed for life over the sectarian murder of a teenager were high on a lethal cocktail of drink and drugs, a judge has said. | Four Ballymena men jailed for life over the sectarian murder of a teenager were high on a lethal cocktail of drink and drugs, a judge has said. |
| Michael McIlveen, 15, was beaten to death in the town in May 2006. | Michael McIlveen, 15, was beaten to death in the town in May 2006. |
| Aaron Cavana Wallace, 20, of Moat Road, Christopher Francis Kerr, 22, of Carnduff Drive and Jeff Colin Lewis, 19, Rossdale, were convicted of murder. | Aaron Cavana Wallace, 20, of Moat Road, Christopher Francis Kerr, 22, of Carnduff Drive and Jeff Colin Lewis, 19, Rossdale, were convicted of murder. |
| Mervyn Wilson Moon, 20, of Douglas Terrace, admitted the murder at the start of the trial in September 2008. | Mervyn Wilson Moon, 20, of Douglas Terrace, admitted the murder at the start of the trial in September 2008. |
| Mr Justice Treacy at Antrim Crown Court said: "This lethal cocktail of drugs, drink, youth and sectarianism provided the context in which this murder occurred." | |
| The highest minimum tariff of 13 years was handed to Kerr, whom the judge said had shown no remorse for his actions and had lied consistently throughout the trial. | |
| He said the fact that he had also gone to his grandmother's house to obtain the baseball bat showed his part in the murder was premeditated. | |
| Wallace and Lewis were given 11-year tariffs - lesser terms because they had no part in procuring the bat or using it, the judge said. | |
| Lewis was also given an additional one month in prison for a charge of criminal damage. | |
| 'No remorse' | |
| Mr Treacy gave Moon credit for his timely plea of guilty and said he had shown clear and genuine remorse for his actions. He was given a 10-year minimum tariff. | |
| Christopher McLeister, 18, of Knockeen Crescent, Ballymena, was given a three-year sentence suspended for two years for the teenager's manslaughter. | |
| The judge said he did not believe the public interest would be served by giving him an immediate custodial sentence and said he was certain the defendant would not trouble the courts again. | |
| Paul Hanson, 18, of Condiere Avenue, who was found guilty of affray and criminal damage, was sentenced to a total of 10 months. | |
| Peter McMullen, 18, of Meadowvale, Ballymena, who the jury had cleared of murder by direction of the court, was given a conditional discharge for causing criminal damage. | |
| Mr Treacy described the death of Michael as "a brutal and sectarian murder". | |
| "As I have said, Michael was only 15 at the time of his murder and its devastating impact on his entire family has been set out in a moving victim impact statement signed by his mother," he said. | |
| He made me so proud to see the young man he grew into and I just hope he realises how much we all love and miss him Gina McIlveen | |
| In a statement read out to the court, Michael's mother, Gina, said: "For anyone to have their son taken from them so suddenly is a horrendous experience, but for it to occur in such a violent manner and the public attention that followed, only magnifies it. | |
| "I personally have found Michael's death extremely difficult to deal with. | |
| "My health suffered and there are times when I have not been able to cope. | |
| "It has been extremely difficult trying to make any sense of what happened to Michael that night and it has been a huge desire to know what happened to him that has kept me coming back to court for the trial because at times it's been difficult to listen to." | |
| She said she sympathised with the families of those convicted in connection with her son's murder. | |
| She added: "Michael was a brilliant wee fella and we were very close. He was happy-go-lucky and always had a big smile. | |
| "He made me so proud to see the young man he grew into and I just hope he realises how much we all love and miss him. | |
| "He is in our thoughts first thing in a morning and last thing at night." |