Buchanan family dignified to the last

The two sisters and five brothers of Trevor Buchanan had not missed a single day of the Hazel Stewart double murder trial, nor had they missed any of the previous bail hearings or court appearances.

On Wednesday, however, they left the court on the Mountsandel Road knowing that the truth was finally out.

Their brother Trevor had been murdered - by the one person who should have taken most care of him, in the place where he should have been safest.

Murdered by his wife and her lover, in his own home, in his own bed.

As the two sisters held hands for strength, the five Buchanan brothers stood shoulder to shoulder to address the waiting media.

Dignified and measured, Gordon Buchanan stepped towards the bank of microphones and spoke.

“This is a day of very mixed emotions for the Buchanan family,” he said.

“Our thoughts are first and foremost with Trevor, who was brutally taken from us in 1991.

“We think too of Lesley Howell, who was also murdered and along with Trevor became a victim of a prolonged conspiracy to cover up what had happened to two young people who were caring and loving towards their families and are deeply missed by everyone.

“The Buchanan family has been mourning since Trevor’s death in 1991 and since the revelations of two years ago, our grief and sadness has been accentuated by the shock of knowing how they died.

“Today, we want to thank the police, the legal team and the Public Prosecution Service, they have displayed the highest standards of professionalism and they have shown our family great compassion.

“We also thank everyone who has given us support in many different ways.

“While there is immense satisfaction that justice for Trevor has finally been achieved, there is no sense of victory and no cause for celebration as nothing can bring Trevor and Lesley back to us and all families connected to this matter have been grievously impacted.

“But the Buchanan family will strive to get through this - we owe that much to Trevor - it is this memory and our love for him that will sustain us and stay with us forever.”