Belfast man given life sentence for sword murders

A Belfast man has been jailed for life after pleading guilty to what was described as the savage killing last July of two men with a sword, one a senior member of the UDA.

Albert Armstrong (47), of Mahee Close in Belfast's Belvior estate, pleaded "guilty" to the murders of veteran UDA man Colin 'Bap' Lyndsay and Stanley Wightman.

Mr Justice Treacy told Armstrong that under law the sentence was one of life imprisonment and that was what he was receiving. A separate hearing will be held to determine the minimum sentence Armstrong must serve before being considered for release.

Defence QC Gavin Duffy said Armstrong had acceped responsibility but the status of his mental health was at issue. He added that having evaluated those reports, he would ask for Armstrong to be re-arraigned.

Following his guilty pleas Mr Duffy said he would make the various reports available to the court and the probation service in an effort to expidite matters.

Prosecution QC Neil Connor said victim impact reports may also be provided from close family members of both men.

No details surrounding what happened on July 8th last year were given during the short hearing which had been listed only as a “Mention”.

At the time it was reported that police found Mr Lyndsay (47) dead in the livingroom of his Kirkiston Walk in the Belvoir estate.

He was beside Mr Wightman (52) who died in hospital two days later. Both men were said to have suffered severe wounds inflicted by a Samurai-type sword.