A 28-year-old man currently standing trial for a brutal double murder denied the two young victims were in his house in the hours prior to their deaths, a court heard yesterday.

Suspect Steven Leslie Brown was interviewed by police investigating the murders of Portadown teenagers Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine, three days after their mutilated bodies were discovered on an isolated road on the outskirts of Tandragee.

Brown, also known as Steven Leslie Revels, from Castle Place in Castlecaulfield, was arrested on February 23, 2000.

He was taken to Armagh police station where he was questioned about suspected involvement in the murders of Andrew (19) and 18-year old David.

During police interviews, Brown told police that after finishing work on Friday February 19, he went for a few drinks at several bars in Tandragee before going home to Sinton Park with his girlfriend’s brother, Noel Dillon.

The accused said he and Noel drank a carry-out at the house and when questioned about what happened in the early hours of Saturday 20, Brown said that around 3am two young men called at his door looking for a party.

Denying the two young men — who the police say were Andrew and David — came into his home, Brown said he told them they had the wrong house and advised them they were looking for the house next door.

When Brown was asked if there had been any physical contact between him and either of the callers, the accused told police: “I patted one of them on the back as he was walking away and said ‘you have the wrong house’ then he went on. I don’t remember which one I patted on the back.”

Brown also told police he first became aware of the murders of Andrew and David on the morning of Saturday 20, when he read about it on Teletext.

He was asked by police why he thought he had been arrested in connection with the cut-throat murders. He replied by saying he was new to the area and a number of houses in Tandragee, including his, had been searched.

As the interviews progressed on February 23 2000, Brown refused to answer a series of questions put by police — including allegations of UVF involvement in the murders, whether he had been told to keep his mouth shut, whether he was in fear of anyone or if he was “an innocent agent caught up in something”.

Brown spent a period of time in police custody but was subsequently released. He was re-arrested in November 2005 after two people came forward implicating him in the murders.

At hearing.