A 28-year-old old Northenr Ireland man accused of murdering two teenagers on an isolated country lane told a friend he "got a buzz" after the slaughter, saying "I`ve forgotten what it was like to kill."

Steven Leslie Brown, also known as Stephen Revels, is standing trial at Belfast Crown Court for the brutal murders of Portadown teenagers Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine in February 2000.

The young victims were lured to their death after Andrew allegedly made a disparaging comment about the murder of Richard Jameson who was described in court today as a `commander of the UVF in Portadown`.

Andrew (19) and 18-year-old David were driven to a remote roadside on the outskirts of Tandragee where they were repeatedly stabbed.

They suffered multiple stab wounds including horrific injuries to their throats and stomachs.

Brown (28) from Castle Place in Castlecaulfield, denies the murder charges.

As the Crown opened its case against Brown to Mr Justice Gillen in the non-jury Diplock trial, prosecutor Gordon Kerr QC said the evidence against Brown was "compelling" and that he was a "principal in the brutal murders of both deceased."

Evidence against the accused includes tyre marks at the murder scene which matched those from the car Brown drove at the time and his DNA which was found on David`s jacket.

Mr Kerr told the court that much of the evidence against Brown comes from a man who was present when Andrew and Robb were murdered.

Mark Burcombe was initially charged with the double murder but he turned `supergrass` and will be giving evidence against Brown in the trial. Burcombe pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm to Andrew Robb and was sentenced earlier this year.

Another man involved in the killing, Noel Dillon, took his own life in 2005.