Bank accused wins Law Lords case

The £26m robbery happened at the Northern Bank

A man accused of the £26.5m Northern Bank robbery has won a hearing in the House of Lords.

Christopher Ward, 25, from Colinmill, Poleglass, west Belfast, denies taking part in the robbery in Belfast in December, 2004.

Mr Ward's Lords case centred on a court hearing from which he and his lawyers were excluded.

The Law Lords decided that the exclusion of the lawyers raised a point of law of general public importance.

Mr Ward's solictors have been told that a hearing will be convened to decide the issue.

'Vitally important'

Solicitor Paul Pierce said: "This case raises very serious concerns over the way in which the PSNI can apply to exclude solicitors and their clients from an application to extend the period of detention.

"It is vitally important that the House of Lords should rule on the issue because the liberty of a detained person is at stake."

Mr Ward was the first person in Northern Ireland to be held without charge for seven days under new legislation which came into force shortly before he was arrested.

The new law also allows police to apply for 48-hour extensions up to a maximum of 14 days.

The Northern Bank employee was charged on the 8th day after police were granted an extension in the absence of himself and his lawyers.

The robbery took place after another bank official, who was also the key-holder, was held hostage along with his wife at their home at Loughinisland, Co Down.

Denied

Mr Ward has claimed that he was also taken hostage and was acting under duress when he was seen on CCTV carrying a hold-all containing over £1m out of the bank.

He is jointly charged with Dominic McEvoy, 23, from Mulandra Park, Kilcoo, Co Down. Both men have denied the charge.

Mr Pierce said: "The House of Lords has indicated that our petition must be lodged by 6 December so it will probably be early in the New Year before the case is heard."

Meanwhile, Mr Ward and Mr McEvoy, who are out on bail, continue to be remanded on a monthly basis and this has led to lawyers complaining about delay in fixing a committal hearing and also the prosecution's failure to disclose crucial evidence.